Mamdani's spokesperson says the city is "reviewing every stage of the process" after deaths in custody
Zohran MamdaniMayor of New York City, through City Hall spokesperson Sam Raskin
A City Hall spokesperson said the safety of people in custody is a top priority for the Mamdani administration and that the city is reviewing every stage from arrest through arraignment to identify changes needed to protect the health and safety of people who enter the system.
“The safety of every person in custody is a top priority for the Mamdani administration ... We are reviewing every stage of the process, from arrest through arraignment, to identify any changes needed to protect the health and safety of everyone who enters the system.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Is the NYPD failing people who fall ill in its custody?
At least six people have died in 2026 after medical emergencies in NYPD custody before arraignment, most recently Reginald Newkirk, who was returned to a Brooklyn precinct after a hospital visit and died the next morning. Public defenders and elected officials say the deaths reflect systemic failures in police custody and medical care. NYPD officials say the department investigates every death and that a death does not mean officers did something wrong, and a spokesperson said all but one of this year's detainees were sent to or cleared by medical facilities before they died. The question is whether the NYPD and the city are failing people who fall ill in police custody.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
Gothamist report on medical examiner findings in the deaths of Vincent Thoms, Zamiqua Miller and Hector Sierra, with responses from City Hall, the NYPD and the Legal Aid Society.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Gothamist reported medical examiner findings that the deaths of Vincent Thoms, Zamiqua Miller and Hector Sierra were accidents involving acute drug intoxication. In the same report, a City Hall spokesperson said all three had been screened by Correctional Health Services medical staff after arriving at Central Booking.
After the quotation
Raskin said the review would include the NYPD, public defenders, district attorneys and others. In the same report, an NYPD spokesperson said an internal investigation found no evidence that the three used drugs while in custody.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is whether the NYPD and the city are failing people who fall ill in police custody. City Hall spokesperson Sam Raskin calls the safety of people in custody "a top priority" and says the city is reviewing every stage from arrest through arraignment "to identify any changes needed". City Hall also said the three people who died had been screened by Correctional Health Services. That pairs an assurance about current care with an open review, so we labeled it Mixed or conditional. The closest competing label is Defended or excused, which would fit a statement that current practice needs no change; this one commits to a review.
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More from this case
Read the full caseBrooklyn Defender Services urges reforms on deaths in NYPD custody "without delay"
Brooklyn Defender Services
“These incidents underscore the urgent need for reform. Last year, we joined fellow public defenders, advocates, and impacted New Yorkers on the steps of City Hall to put forward a 10-point plan to address the crisis of deaths in or following NYPD custody. We again urge the Mamdani Administration to implement these commonsense reforms without delay.”Read statement
Legal Aid's Amanda Jack says people in withdrawal "should not remain in prolonged police custody"
“Once the NYPD chooses to keep someone in custody, it assumes responsibility for that person's well-being ... People experiencing a substance-use crisis or withdrawal need timely medical care, and they should not remain in prolonged police custody while awaiting arraignment on low-level offenses.”Read statement
Public Advocate's office says the city "must urgently move to ensure the safety of all in custody"
“In a humane world, alleged shoplifting would not result in sudden death. We will continue to monitor the inquiry into Vincent Thoms' death in custody. With a new administration in place, the City must urgently move to ensure the safety of all in custody.”Read statement
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- The Dispute Index
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- Mamdani's spokesperson says the city is "reviewing every stage of the process" after deaths in custody
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The Dispute Index. "Mamdani's spokesperson says the city is "reviewing every stage of the process" after deaths in custody". First published: 2026-10-09. Last updated: 2026-10-09. https://disputeindex.com/events/5304-a-city-hall-spokesperson-said-the-safety-of