Representatives of law enforcement unions are set to gather Thursday in Queens for an event organizers hope will serve as a political warning to elected officials. Their message: ignoring critiques of current criminal justice practices could cost politicians at the polls.
While the event is nonpartisan in format, it clearly signals an effort to exert influence in the ongoing governor’s race, coinciding with newly elected New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s incumbency. Hosted by the Detectives Endowment Association (DEA) of the NYPD under the umbrella of the “New York State Public Safety Alliance,” the gathering will take place at Russo’s On the Bay in Howard Beach.
Among the featured speakers are notable law enforcement leaders, including Lou Civello, president of the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association; Scott Munro, DEA president; John Davidson, president of the Buffalo PBA; and Frank Siller, chairman and CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, along with several others.
Rallies and conferences such as this frequently come and go, much like those organized by labor unions in education. However, Munro emphasized in a statement that “the day’s activities — no politicians were invited — was not about the 2026 elections, but unity, collaboration and common-sense public safety.”
Despite this disclaimer, the timing and focus of the event make it symbolically significant. The organizers clearly aim to catch the attention of elected Democrats who form a dominant majority in state government—particularly Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is expected to face Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman in the upcoming autumn ballot, as well as congressional candidates in contested downstate districts.
“It’s about public safety in the state. It’s about making sure the law enforcement professionals have a voice, a seat at the table,” Civello said Wednesday.
Several key issues have long been on the radar for these unions. One major concern is the downside of ending cash bail for most nonviolent crimes, which some describe as resulting in “turnstile justice.” Republicans in the suburbs have used this reform as a campaign issue against their opponents for years.
Another pressing problem cited is the increase in unprovoked attacks on correction officers in regional jails. The alliance also highlights the corrosive effect of discouraged police personnel retiring or leaving the force altogether. This, they argue, may force departments to lower their hiring standards just to fill vacancies.
Munro recalled the closeness of the 2022 governor’s race, in which Hochul narrowly defeated then-Rep. Lee Zeldin from Suffolk County’s 1st Congressional District by 53.1% to 46.7%, according to the state Board of Elections. Zeldin’s campaigning heavily emphasized crime, a message that resonated with enough independents and Democrats to keep the race competitive.
Driven in part by Black Lives Matter protests several years ago, many blue-state governors and mayors enacted criminal justice reforms, with some even endorsing the “defund the police” slogan. However, many have since softened their stance or walked back such rhetoric.
Mayor Mamdani is no exception. In 2020, he called the NYPD “racist, anti-queer and a major threat to public safety.” He has since apologized and now acknowledges the life-or-death risks police officers face daily.
Despite the decline of the “defund” movement, veteran law enforcement officials remain wary of wholesale policy changes from progressive Democrats. Mamdani has promoted a network of “violence prevention” efforts led by nonprofits, nonpunitive strategies, and the deployment of mental health workers to certain emergency calls.
On the political significance of the event, Munro stated in a press release ahead of the Howard Beach meeting: “We can estimate our own numbers. Add in our families, friends, extended families, and the entire statewide retired law enforcement population. That is power.”
—
*Columnist Dan Janison’s opinions are his own.*
https://www.newsday.com/opinion/columnists/dan-janison/suffolk-pba-ny-governors-race-zohran-mamdani-gkpj6r5p
