Adams Announces Plan to Add 5,000 NYPD Officers

Mayor Eric Adams announced in his Nov. 2025 financial plan a commitment to fund 5,000 additional NYPD officers over three years, phasing in hires beginning July 2026 and aiming to bring the force to about 40,000 by fiscal 2029 at an estimated cost of $315–$318 million. The announcement came days before the mayoral election while Adams is a lame-duck mayor and was framed by some as a political move targeting front-runner Zohran Mamdani; it aligns with other candidates, including Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, who have also backed large officer increases. Supporters, including Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and police unions, said the hires are needed to sustain recent crime declines and safer subways. Critics and experts warned the NYPD is already struggling with recruitment and retention — current headcount is roughly 33,700–33,832 with thousands of vacancies and heavy monthly attrition — raising questions about sustaining new hires without lowering standards. The funding still requires City Council approval and may be complicated by Citizens Budget Commission projections of a $6–8 billion FY2027 shortfall, leaving hiring and staffing quality for the next mayor to resolve.