Zo is benching the NYPD.
Under a new directive reported by the New York Post, cops will no longer respond to 311 complaints about homeless encampments. Those calls will instead be handled through the Department of Social Services and the Department of Homeless Services.
Even cops who stumble across an encampment themselves are being told to call 311, according to the report.
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The change was laid out in an email sent to NYPD operations Tuesday, sources told the Post.
One source blasted the new setup, arguing the Department of Social Services doesn’t have enough staff to handle the workload.
The move builds on Mamdani’s broader shift away from police-led encampment sweeps.
In February, the mayor put the Department of Homeless Services in charge and instituted a seven-day outreach period to get people into services before an encampment is cleared.
Mamdani said the goal was to give outreach workers time to build trust rather than make police the first point of contact.
City guidance now says 311 requests for homeless outreach are dispatched to social-service providers or partner agencies. It still directs New Yorkers to call 911 when someone poses an immediate danger, is committing a crime, or creates certain hazards.
More over at The New York Post:
Mamdani bans NYPD from responding to 311 calls on homeless encampments https://t.co/AQ3FEpR5T4 pic.twitter.com/MYIqqeiJLo
— New York Post (@nypost) September 23, 2026
