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Mamdani Names 'End of Policing' Author Alex Vitale to Community Safety Team

The appointment elevates advocates of nonpolice responses during the mayor‑elect’s transition.

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani said the relationship between New York City leadership and the White House will be crucial to the city’s success. He said he will reach out to President Donald Trump before being sworn into office. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
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Overview

  • Alex Vitale, a Brooklyn College sociology professor, announced on X that he was asked to join Mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani’s transition team to work on community safety.
  • Vitale’s 2017 book The End of Policing argues against traditional enforcement for activities such as drug use, prostitution, border control and youth misconduct, and describes many gang units as racialized social control.
  • The announcement drew online criticism over potential reductions in policing, and when asked about protecting Jewish worshippers, Vitale replied that his family is Jewish.
  • Reporting identifies other committee figures including Joo‑Hyun Kang and Dana Rachlin, and lists Vincent Schiraldi as part of Mamdani’s broader transition team.
  • Mamdani campaigned on expanding social‑worker responses through a proposed Department of Community Safety, and he is scheduled to be sworn in on January 1, 2026.