Parents in Bronx neighborhood plead for NYPD guard as Mamdani cuts cops, halts hires: ‘Horrible situation’
A FIRST ON FOX: NEW YORK – As Mayor of New York Zohran Mamdani Parents in the Bronx who have moved to cut the NYPD’s budget and resisted calls to hire more officers want more cops, not less, saying their children face increased danger.
The crackdown highlights growing tensions between the mayor’s policing agenda and local families’ safety concerns.
More than 1000 people signed Change.org petition We support the families of Zeta Bronx Tremont Park Lower Elementary school who are demanding that an NYPD crossing officer be assigned to a dangerous corner where they say a tragic accident is waiting to happen.
Fox News Digital went to the busy intersection of Arthur Boulevard and Tremont Avenue and spoke with parents about the dangers their children face every day as cars zoom by on their way to Interstate 95.
“The situation is so scary for the kids and the parents too,” said Aimee, a parent at the school. “There are always minor accidents on the street because the intersection goes directly onto the highway and this worries us very much. They ignore us and I think we need to raise our voice on behalf of the entire school community.”
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Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during an event.
(Getty Images)
A parent named Christine said the school had been trying to find a crossing guard or police officer for “a long time” but was told “they didn’t have anyone.” Several NYPD vehicles were seen parked near the intersection but were empty, and parents told Fox News Digital they belonged to a nearby station and were not monitoring the street crossing.
“[There have] We have almost had accidents so many times and we really need help,” said Christine.
Fox News Digital reached out to Mayor Mamdani’s office for comment but did not receive a response.
Mamdani had been under criticism for his relationship with the police since his mayoral campaign; The relationship has faced questions about his past support for defunding the police. Following his election, Mamdani again found himself in the hot seat of critics because his budget included cuts to police funding. Canceling 5,000 new NYPD hires.
Some parents close to the Bronx school, including those who previously supported Mamdani, are not sold on the idea of reduced policing.
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“When our schools and children clearly need more support, denying or removing these resources is a step in the wrong direction,” Zeta parent Paola said in a press release. “We need more preventive officers and programs to keep our neighborhoods in the Bronx safe.”
“I was one of those who initially had a lot of trust in Mayor Mamdani, but I’m starting to get scared because she’s not 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 young children safe.”
Aimee told Fox News Digital that “we need more police” to “help us” and called on the mayor to “take notice of us.”
change.org The petition calls for a “dedicated traffic officer” during school arrival and dismissal hours, and argues that “traffic officers are assigned to busy school crossings in New York City” and that charter school children “deserve the same protections” as public schools.
One parent named Lou described the situation as “very dangerous” and said many vehicles “did not follow the law.”
Fox News Digital witnessed several close calls at the intersection where cars made illegal or dangerous turns, honked their horns and stopped suddenly as children were being taken to the nearby school.
“I don’t understand why you’re saying less police or less funding,” Paola told Fox News Digital, adding that the neighborhood also suffers from drug-related crime problems.
“There has to be money somewhere.”
“The Commander of the 48 precincts is working with community leaders and elected officials to recruit more School Crossing Guards,” an NYPD spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital. he said.
“Additionally, staff from the 48th precinct is working with the Department of Transportation to work on additional signage and redesigning the intersection. To date, there have been no crashes at the intersection of Arthur Boulevard and East Tremont Avenue. Since the beginning of the year, the NYPD has issued 67 summonses to vehicles in the area of Arthur Boulevard and East Tremont Avenue. Traffic safety is a shared responsibility, and the NYPD, along with staff from the 48th precinct, is committed to supporting local schools in achieving this goal.”
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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani makes remarks at the Service Employees International Union 32BJ SEIU rally on Park Avenue in Manhattan on April 15, 2026.
Mamdani won the Bronx in November’s mayoral election with 51% of the vote; The former Governor received 40% of the votes. Andrew Cuomo and 7% for Republican Curtis Sliwa.
Original article source: Parents in Bronx neighborhood beg for NYPD protection as Mamdani cuts police, halts hiring: ‘Terrible situation’
