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MARCH 26 - APRIL 1, 2026
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NYC creates first Office of Community Safety Renita Francois was appointed as deputy mayor for community safety and Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani signed an executive order to create the firstever Mayor’s Office of Community Safety. Francois brings more than 15 years of strategic and operational experience spanning major city agencies, nonprofit advocacy organizations and think tanks. Most recently, she served as chief strategy officer and chief program officer at Tides Advocacy, where she set the organization’s longterm strategy, oversaw millions of dollars in grants and managed relationships with political leaders and community organizations Renita FRancois nationwide. Deputy mayor for “ O u r Community Safety administration will not wait for change, we will build it,” Mamdani said in a news release. “Renita will lead this work with clarity, compassion and an unwavering commitment to New Yorkers too often left behind — from families confronting gun violence to people navigating mental health crises, hate crimes or substance use issues.” Previously she served as executive director of the Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety within the Office of Criminal Justice under Mayor Bill de Blasio, where she oversaw more than $500 million in investments in neighborhood safety initiatives — particularly in communities experiencing high-crime— and led strategic efforts across more than a dozen city agencies. “The evidence is clear: addressing what ails our communities, whether that be crumbling physical infrastructure, social disconnection or lack of access to economic opportunity, is how we best ensure that our communities are safe,” Francois said in the release. “We will invest the resources to ensure
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e will invest the resources to ensure well coordinated responses rooted in dignity and care.
Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani appoints Renita Francois as deputy mayor for community safety and signed an executive order to create the first-ever Mayor’s Office of Community Safety on March 19. well coordinated responses rooted in dignity and care, centered in community and informed by the experiences of those closest to the solutions meet our fellow New Yorkers who need it most.” The new office will focus on addressing the root causes of crime and violence, streamlining and expanding evidence-based crime prevention programs and strengthening wraparound services so no New Yorker is left behind. “Our communities have long known the true sources of safety — addressing poverty, mental health, substance use, and getting to the root causes of conflict and violence before they escalate,” Queens native and Councilwoman Tiffany Cabán said in the release. She represents the 22nd District in northern Queens. “I'm eager to work with her and the mayor to build out a robust Office of Community Safety that enacts a framework that gives people and our communities access to the safety we all deserve.” The executive order establishes the
Office of Community Safety, to be led by a commissioner who reports directly to the deputy mayor. The office will develop citywide community safety strategies and coordinate the work of the Office of Crime Victim Services, Office to Prevent Gun Violence, Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence, Of fice for the Prevention of Hate Crimes and Office of Community Mental Health. “Keeping New Yorkers safe requires more than one approach,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said in the release. “It means making sure people have access to the resources and services they need, whether that’s career training, an afterschool program, or a police response.” The new office will also coordinate citywide mental health crisis response pro g rams, including B-HEARD, and convene interagency community safety committees, to ensure New Yorkers receive appropriate care in moments of crisis.
"Her appointment reflects a shared commitment to strengthening community resilience and advancing healthfocused responses across New York City,” Eva Wong, executive director of the Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health, said in the release. “I look forward to working closely with her to deepen cross-agency collaboration that centers care, prevention, and connection, ensuring that New Yorkers experiencing mental health challenges are met with compassion, coordinated support, a n d cl e a r p at h w ay s t o re c ove r y and long-term stability.” — Jeffrey Bessen