Fact-check: Massive NYPD walkout after Zohran Mamdani becomes mayor? Truth behind viral claim

Viral claims were made on societal media on midweek that thither was a monolithic walkout in the New York Police Department (NYPD) after Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of the city. The claims of the walkout came from Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and Sholdon Daniels, a Republican eyeing a seat in Congress, among others.

Stefanik on X wrote “@KathyHochul’s catastrophic endorsement of the Defund the Police pro-Hamas Mayor has caused a MASSIVE walkout out of NYPD officers.” She added, “Kathy Hochul and her endorsed Commie Mamdani are literally destroying New York.” Stefanik concluded, saying “God Bless our hardworking NYPD officers. New Yorkers Back the Blue while Hochul backs the Defund the Police Mayor! A disgrace.”

Sholdon Daniels, meanwhile, wrote “Massive walkout at NYPD.” Others who amplified this claim include activist Ryan Fournier and Zeek Arkham, who has law enforcement experience.

“Most rank and file officers of the NYPD you talk to are going to be submitting their papers to transfer or retire. I don’t blame them. Why stay in a city where the Mayor hates them. 15,000+ officers left under the current leadership. It’s going to get much worse. New York City is COOKED,” Fournier wrote.

Meanwhile Arkham said “Just about every NYPD cop I’ve spoken to has told me they’re putting their papers in to leave. They’re not about to stay in a city where the mayor, and the people who elected him, openly hates them. It’s cool, though… when you’re getting assaulted, robbed, or raped, a social worker or “violence interrupter” is going to show up and make everything alright. Elections have consequences and you’re about to get a major consequence.”

Despite the social media claims, there is no concrete evidence of a NYPD walkout. There have been no statements from police unions, or the police department itself. No mainstream media report on the alleged walkout exists either.

Thus, despite the claim of a NYPD walkout after Mamdani's win appears to be the false. Grok also fact-checked this as well, saying in one instance, “No, this isn't a massive NYPD walkout. The video depicts a routine retirement ceremony, where officers line up to salute one departing colleague—a longstanding tradition seen in prior events without broader implications. No official NYPD announcements or credible news reports confirm coordinated resignations today, despite ongoing staffing challenges from individual retirements. Always cross-check viral claims with primary sources to counter misinformation.”

While the claims of the NYPD mass walkout appear unfounded, New York City’s Jewish fire commissioner Robert Tucker turned in his resignation hours after Mamdani was elected mayor, New York Post reported. Mamdani beat Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa to become the new mayor of NY.

---

---