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which reflects the author’s opinion.<\/p>\n
Zohran Mamdani\u2019s latest staff appointment includes the addition of his longtime chief adviser, Elle Bisgaard-Church, who has been described as the \u201cchief architect\u201d of his campaign proposal to deploy social workers for certain non-violent 911 calls in New York City.<\/p>\n
The proposal, which has faced significant criticism, was developed by Bisgaard-Church\u2014an Ivy League-educated California native and relative political newcomer affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Mamdani announced Monday that Bisgaard-Church will once again serve as his chief adviser at City Hall, continuing in the same role she held during his campaign and tenure in the state assembly.<\/p>\n
According to CBS News, Bisgaard-Church played a key role in shaping Mamdani\u2019s message to voters and is widely credited by campaign staff as the primary force behind his Department of Community Safety proposal.<\/p>\n
In crafting the Department of Community Safety proposal\u2014which seeks to replace police officers with mental health professionals for non-life-threatening emergencies, particularly in subway stations\u2014Bisgaard-Church reportedly consulted with mental health experts, public safety officials from other cities, and former New York City Police Department (NYPD) Chief of Department Rodney Harrison,\u00a0Fox News reported.<\/p>\n
A campaign proposal on Mamdani\u2019s website projects the cost of the new department at approximately $1.1 billion.<\/p>\n
In addition to overseeing Mamdani\u2019s widely debated Department of Community Safety proposal, Bisgaard-Church played a central role in organizing weekly meetings between Mamdani\u2019s campaign and the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) to coordinate with the groups that helped secure his victory.<\/p>\n
In a feature interview last month ahead of the mayoral election, Bisgaard-Church\u2014a graduate of Swarthmore College and Columbia University\u2014described her political motivations as closely aligned with those of the DSA.<\/p>\n
\u201cI still feel daily, deeply ashamed to live in a place where we allow people to sleep on concrete at night \u2026 and I fundamentally believe it doesn\u2019t have to be that way. It represents (a) political choice,\u201d Bisgaard-Church told\u00a0New York\u2019s City & State.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe place where I have seen that shared sense of rage at such a moral failure has been in a handful of movement organizations, including New York City DSA,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
According to a City & State profile, Bisgaard-Church was inspired to join Zohran Mamdani\u2019s team after witnessing five Democratic Socialist candidates win their 2020 primary races in Brooklyn and Queens.<\/p>\n
Initially in New York City through a public affairs fellowship, she reportedly expected to work for a government agency after holding positions at several nonprofits in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n
Bisgaard-Church, who maintains a low public profile and rarely comments in the media, has been credited with playing a major role in securing the Democratic Socialists of America\u2019s endorsement of Mamdani\u2019s campaign. Her involvement with the DSA includes helping establish its legislative analysis team and co-authoring a 2021 guiding document outlining how the organization should engage with elected officials, City & State reported.<\/p>\n
Following her appointment, Bisgaard-Church expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to lead the mayor-elect\u2019s campaign, stating that she is now ready to implement Mamdani\u2019s \u201caffordability agenda\u201d and showcase the potential benefits of a well-managed City Hall for everyday New Yorkers.<\/p>\n
During his campaign and in the past, Mamdani has been extremely critical of the NYPD and policing in general.<\/p>\n
As such, an exodus from the New York Police Department is already underway, with a sharp increase in officers resigning in the month leading up to the election of socialist mayor-elect, according to department data and sources who\u00a0spoke to the New York Post.<\/p>\n
Officials warn the departures could accelerate further if Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch steps down.<\/p>\n
Police Pension Fund data shows that 245 officers of various ranks left the force in October, marking a 35% increase compared to the 181 departures recorded during the same month last year.<\/p>\n
A police union source said the number of additional officers who choose to leave in the coming months will likely hinge on the \u201cTisch factor.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf she leaves it may result in an uptick,\u201d the source told The Post. \u201cIf she stays, maybe not.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This article may contain commentarywhich reflects the author’s opinion. Zohran Mamdani\u2019s latest staff appointment includes the addition of his longtime chief adviser, Elle Bisgaard-Church, who has been described as the \u201cchief architect\u201d…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11774,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11775","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hot-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t