
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch have announced the hiring of 1,093 police officer recruits, the largest class sworn in by the NYPD since January 2016. The recruits, who officially began training at the Police Academy this week, also mark the biggest single intake during the Adams administration, surpassing the 1,045 recruits sworn in earlier this year.
With this latest addition, the NYPD has hired 2,911 recruits in 2025 alone — the highest figure since 2006 — and nearly 10,000 officers since Adams assumed office. The recruits come from 51 countries, speak 34 languages, and include 80 individuals with military service, reflecting the city’s diversity.
Mayor Adams described the milestone as central to his administration’s public safety agenda. “Public safety is the prerequisite to prosperity, and today’s announcement shows we are investing in the future of both,” he said. “With nearly 1,100 new police recruits — the most in almost 10 years — we are building a stronger and more modern NYPD that reflects the diversity, commitment, and determination of our city.”
Commissioner Tisch emphasized the significance of the intake, calling it “a defining moment for the NYPD and for New York City.” She noted that the department’s expanded eligibility requirements have fueled a surge in applications, with interest skyrocketing by 579 percent during the most recent exam period.
Earlier this year, the NYPD reduced the minimum college credit requirement from 60 to 24, reinstated the 1.5-mile fitness run, and secured recognition of its six-month academy training as equivalent to 45 college credits. These reforms opened the door to more applicants and helped position the NYPD to compete with other major police departments nationwide.
The record hiring also aligns with Adams’ “End the Culture of Anything Goes” campaign, a citywide initiative to improve quality of life and prevent disorder. The FY 2026 budget earmarks $3.4 billion for approximately 34,000 officers, with plans to expand to 35,000 by FY 2027.
The announcement comes amid historic declines in crime. Between January and July 2025, New York recorded its lowest number of shootings and shooting victims in history. Overall crime has dropped for seven consecutive quarters, with year-to-date reductions across major categories, including homicides, robberies, and assaults.
Mayor Adams has also rolled out broader safety measures, such as removing over 23,200 illegal guns from city streets, investing $500 million in community safety initiatives, expanding mental health support, and strengthening the NYPD’s Quality of Life Division across all boroughs.
Through record hiring, strategic investments, and reforms, city officials say the administration is shaping a modern NYPD ready to keep New York “the safest big city in America.”