New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is reportedly preparing to take an axe to one of the New York Police Department's most elite units – one that specializes in responding to everything from violent protests to acts of terrorism.
According to a Thursday report in Politico, the democratic socialist mayor is preparing to announce plans to disband the NYPD's Strategic Response Group (SRG), possibly through the use of an executive order.
And his possible plan for the SRG's replacement is mind-boggling.
One proposal reportedly being considered would put a unit of civilians in charge of responding to violent protests and terrorist threats, with police officers available to intervene only if arrests are necessary.
Yes, civilians could soon be taking the lead in responding to protests in America's largest city. What could possibly go wrong?
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani is preparing to disband the NYPD's Strategic Response Group, the unit responsible for policing criminality at protests, while also handling counterterrorism operations. It is a move that fulfills a long-held campaign promise but also raises immediate questions about how the group's wide-ranging duties will be replaced. Mamdani has pushed to separate the unit's protest-response role from its counterterrorism mission, arguing the two functions should never have been merged. The NYPD calls SRG a "critical asset" that mobilizes for shootings, bank robberies, missing persons and major citywide events, including the recent papal visit. Sources tell Politico the plan could be formalized via executive order, and City Hall has been weighing whether to place the unit under Mamdani's new Office of Community Safety. Full story here https://t.co/OAdeskn0kh
— Fox News Politics (@foxnewspolitics) November 12, 2026
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani is preparing to disband the NYPD's Strategic Response Group, the unit responsible for policing criminality at protests, while also handling counterterrorism operations. It is a move that fulfills a long-held campaign promise but also raises immediate questions about how the group's wide-ranging duties will be replaced.
Mamdani has pushed to separate the unit's protest-response role from its counterterrorism mission, arguing the two functions should never have been merged. The NYPD calls SRG a "critical asset" that mobilizes for shootings, bank robberies, missing persons and major citywide events, including the recent papal visit.
Sources tell Politico the plan could be formalized via executive order, and City Hall has been weighing whether to place the unit under Mamdani's new Office of Community Safety.
The SRG was created in 2015 and it has a very specific mission that goes well beyond crowd control.
According to the NYPD's own description, the SRG is trained to respond to civil disturbances, major events, shootings, bank robberies, and other emergencies, as well as its counterterrorism role.
It seems Mamdani is being pushed to dismantle the unit after months of pressure from his fellow socialists.
The New York Post reported earlier this month that the mayor has faced growing demands from his left-wing allies to get rid of the SRG. Among the loudest voices has been Rep.-elect Darializa Avila Chevalier (NY-13), who called for it to be disbanded following a confrontation between police and anti-ICE protesters.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, meanwhile, isn't a big fan of the idea and has defended the unit's role in maintaining public safety.
At a March City Council budget hearing, Tisch explained that SRG officers typically aren't deployed to peaceful demonstrations, but are used when criminal activity is involved.
And here's an interesting statistic: Of the 4,255 protests the NYPD responded to in 2025, the SRG was available at just 245, or roughly six percent, according to Fox News.
There's no word yet on what would happen to the specially-trained officers of the SRG nor does there seem to be a sane plan at the ready for replacing the unit's critical public-safety functions.