Reported by:
Cherry Meigh Timbol
News Content Editor
Published November 13, 2026
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani is expected to announce the disbanding of the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group (SRG), a counterterrorism and protest-response unit, according to a report. Sources told Politico that City Hall has considered placing the SRG under the Office of Community Safety, which Mamdani launched earlier this year, and that the plan could be formalized through an executive order.
Mayor’s spokesperson Dora Pekec said the administration “will disband the Strategic Response Group and separate protest response from counterterrorism.” She added that more details would be shared soon.
Background
The SRG is a roughly 600-officer unit that handles protests and emergencies. It was formed in 2015 and has often been deployed to mass protests, drawing criticism for what some call violent and militarized methods. That criticism followed its response to the 2020 protests, after which it had to make changes under a settlement with the state attorney general’s office.
The NYPD describes the SRG as a “critical asset” for parades, protests and major events. Commissioner Jessica Tisch told the City Council in March that the unit does not typically handle peaceful protests. She said the NYPD facilitated 4,255 protests in 2025 and the SRG was available at 245 of them, about 6%.
Pressure and reaction
Mamdani campaigned on eliminating the SRG and has said since taking office that he still intends to, though he had not done so. The delay contributed to a rift with parts of his political base, including NYC-DSA. Some democratic socialist officials have demanded that Tisch disband the unit or be fired. Mamdani has said he has no plans to replace her.
Police Benevolent Association president Patrick Hendry has accused the mayor of singling out one group of officers. The PBA, the largest police union, previously challenged and delayed the 2023 settlement. Others have raised questions about how the unit’s duties would be replaced.
