Parents in Bronx neighborhood plead for NYPD guard as Mamdani cuts cops, halts hires: ‘Horrible situation’

FIRST ON FOX: NEW YORK — As New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani moves to cut the NYPD’s budget and resists calls to hire more police officers, parents in The Bronx are asking for more police, not less, saying their kids face an increase in danger. 

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

Over 1,000 people have signed a Change.org petition supporting the families of Zeta Bronx Tremont Park Lower Elementary school, who are requesting an NYPD crossing guard to be assigned to a treacherous corner, where they say a tragic accident is waiting to happen. 

Fox News Digital went to the busy intersection at Arthur Avenue and Tremont Avenue and spoke to parents about the dangers their children face every day as cars zoom by on their way to Interstate 95.

“The situation is very horrible for the kids and the parents too,” Aimee, a parent at the school, said. “There have always been small accidents on the street because the intersection crosses to go right to the highway, and it’s something that worries us a lot. They don’t take us into consideration and I feel that we should raise our voice for the entire community of the school.”

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A parent named Christine explained that the school has been trying to get a crossing guard or police officer “for a long time” but were told “they didn’t have anyone.” 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 street crossing.

“[There have] almost been accidents so 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 dating back to his mayoral campaign, which was dogged by questions about his past support of defunding the police. After his election, Mamdani was in the hot seat from critics again when his budget included cutting police funding and cancelling 5,000 new NYPD hires.

Some parents near the Bronx school, including some who previously supported Mamdani, aren’t sold on the idea of less police.

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

“I am one of those who initially had a lot of faith in Mayor Mamdani, but I’m starting to get scared because he doesn’t seem aware of the actual 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 requests a “dedicated traffic officer” during arrival and dismissal hours at the school and argues that “traffic officers are assigned at busy school crossings across New York City” and the children at the charter school “deserve the same protection” as those public schools. 

A parent named Lou described the situation as “very dangerous” and that many vehicles simply “don’t abide by the law.”

Fox News Digital witnessed several close calls at the intersection with cars making illegal or dangerous turns, honking horns, and coming to an abrupt stop as children were being ushered to school nearby.

“I don’t get why he’s saying less cops or less funding,” Paola told Fox News Digital, adding that the neighborhood is also suffering from crime issues related to drugs. 

“There has to be money somewhere.”

In a statement to Fox News Digital, an NYPD spokesperson said “The Commanding Officer of the 48 precinct is working with community leaders and elected officials to get more School Crossing Guards.”

“Additionally, personnel from the 48 precinct are working with Department of Transportation to work on additional signage and redesign of the intersection. Year-to-date, there have been no collisions at the intersection Arthur Avenue and East Tremont Avenue. Year-to-date, the NYPD has issued 67 summonses to vehicles in the vicinity of Arthur Avenue and East Tremont Street. Traffic safety is a shared responsibility and the NYPD, along with personnel from the 48 precinct, are committed to supporting local schools in achieving that goal.”

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