Zohran Mamdani, the leading Democratic mayoral candidate for New York City, has faced growing criticism for his recent allocation of substantial funds to private security services, despite his previous rhetoric against the NYPD. According to data from the New York City Campaign Finance Board, Mamdani’s campaign has spent over $33,000 on private security, with three payments made to Advanced Security & Investigations in June and July. This has raised questions among voters and analysts about his stance on police reform and the implications for public safety in the city.
Advanced Security & Investigations, a New York-based company, offers a range of security services, including armed and unarmed protective measures. Notably, the company employs personnel from several law enforcement agencies, including the NYPD, which Mamdani previously called for disbanding. Despite his recent shift in public rhetoric, emphasizing the need to focus on ‘real issues’ such as affordable housing and healthcare, his campaign’s financial commitments have drawn attention to the perceived contradiction in his approach to public safety and police reform.
Mamdani has also faced backlash for his past anti-police rhetoric, particularly following the tragic shooting in midtown Manhattan that left five people, including an NYPD officer, dead. His social media posts from 2020 called for the defunding of the NYPD, a stance that now seems at odds with his current campaign messaging. While he has since claimed that his earlier statements were ‘out of step with my positions as a candidate,’ the issue remains a focal point of public discourse and scrutiny.
Additionally, Mamdani’s personal lifestyle choices have further complicated his public image. Recently, he left New York City for a lavish wedding celebration in Uganda, which was reportedly safeguarded by armed Ugandan military forces and his own private security detail. The three-day exclusive event included masked military security and a cellphone-jamming system, raising eyebrows among New Yorkers who are already concerned about the implications of his campaign’s financial priorities.
As the mayoral race intensifies, the scrutiny over Mamdani’s financial decisions and his stance on police reform continues to be a significant point of discussion. His campaign’s financial allocation to private security, alongside his past rhetoric, has sparked debate about the balance between public safety and the principles of police reform, highlighting the complex challenges facing mayoral candidates in a city grappling with both political and social tensions.