Bronx parents demand more NYPD officers as Mamdani cuts police budget

FIRST ON FOX: NEW YORK — As New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani moves to cut the New York Police Department’s budget and resists calls to hire more officers, Bronx parents are calling for more officers, not fewer, saying their children face increased danger.

The push highlights growing tensions between the mayor’s policing agenda and local families’ safety concerns.

More than 1,000 people signed a Change.org petition support families at Zeta Bronx Tremont Park Lower Elementary School, who are calling for an NYPD crossing guard to be posted to a dangerous corner, where they say a tragic accident is waiting to happen.

Fox News Digital visited the busy intersection of Arthur Avenue and Tremont Avenue and spoke to parents about the dangers their children face every day as cars speed past heading toward Interstate 95.

“The situation is very horrible for the children and the parents too,” said Aimee, a mother at the school. “There have always been small accidents in the street because the intersection goes directly to the highway, and that’s something that worries us a lot. They don’t take us into consideration and I think we should raise our voices for the entire school community.”

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Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks at an event. (Getty Images)

A parent named Christine said the school had been trying to recruit a crossing guard or police officer “for a long time,” but was told “there was no one.” Several NYPD vehicles could be seen parked near the intersection but were unoccupied, and parents told Fox News Digital they belonged to a nearby station and were not monitoring the crossing.

“[There have] There have been almost accidents many times and we really need help,” Christine said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Mayor Mamdani’s office for comment but did not receive a response.

Mamdani has faced criticism over his relationship with police since his mayoral campaign, which was marred by questions about his past support for defunding the police. After his election, Mamdani found himself in the hot seat facing criticism when his budget included cuts to police funding and canceling 5,000 new NYPD hires.

Some parents close to the Bronx school, including those who previously supported Mamdani, are not convinced by the idea of ​​fewer police officers.

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“Removing or preventing us from having these resources is a step in the wrong direction when our schools and our children clearly need more support,” Paola, a Zeta parent, said in a press release. “We need more officers and prevention programs to keep our Bronx neighborhoods safe.”

“I am one of those who initially had a lot of confidence in Mayor Mamdani, but I am starting to fear because he does not seem to be aware of the real needs of my community. The safety of my child and my own students is non-negotiable, and we must find the funding to keep our little ones safe.”

Aimee told Fox News Digital “we need more police” to “help us” and urged the mayor to “consider us.”

The Change.org petition calls for a “dedicated traffic officer” during school arrival and dismissal times and argues that “traffic officers are assigned to busy school intersections in New York City” and that charter school children “deserve the same protections” as those public schools.

A parent named Lou described the situation as “very dangerous” and that many vehicles “are simply not following the law”.

Fox News Digital witnessed several close calls at the intersection with cars making illegal or dangerous turns, honking their horns and stopping abruptly as children were being driven to school nearby.

“I don’t understand why he’s talking about less cops or less funding,” Paola told Fox News Digital, adding that the neighborhood also suffered from drug-related crime problems.

“There must be money somewhere.”

In a statement to Fox News Digital, an NYPD spokesperson said “the 48th Precinct Commander is working with community leaders and elected officials to recruit more crossing guards.”

“Additionally, 48th Precinct staff are working with the Department of Transportation to work on additional signage and redesigning the intersection. Since the beginning of the year, there have been no collisions at the intersection of Arthur Avenue and East Tremont Avenue. schools to achieve this goal.

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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivers remarks at the Service Employees International Union 32BJ SEIU rally on Park Avenue in Manhattan on April 15, 2026. (Selçuk Acar/Anadolu)

Mamdani won the Bronx in November’s mayoral election with 51 percent of the vote, compared to 40 percent for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and 7 percent for Republican Curtis Sliwa.