NYPD Won’t Provide Security to Mayor’s Wife Traveling to Middle East

The New York Police Department (NYPD) has clarified that it will not offer a security detail for Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, on her upcoming trip to Syria and Lebanon. Despite initial claims from the mayor’s office, the NYPD has stated that it does not deploy officers for personal travel to regions with level 4 travel advisories.

An NYPD spokesperson highlighted that the agency’s officers are not sent to countries marked as ‘Do Not Travel’ by the State Department due to terrorism risks, for discretionary reasons like personal trips.

“The NYPD does not send officers to countries with level 4 travel advisories for discretionary reasons such as personal travel,” a law enforcement agency spokesperson told Fox News.

Duwaji plans to visit family in Syria and Lebanon in September. Both nations are on the travel advisory list due to terrorism concerns.

Initially, the mayor’s office had mentioned that Duwaji would receive NYPD protection during her travels. Mamdani’s spokeswoman, Dora Pekec, stated that the security detail would accompany Duwaji on the agency’s strong recommendation.

However, after clarification that NYPD officers would not travel overseas for this purpose, the mayor attributed the mix-up to a staff ‘miscommunication’ when questioned by PIX11.

Scott Munro, President of the NYPD Detectives’ Endowment Association (DEA), criticized any notion that detectives would accompany the First Lady abroad, indicating that this responsibility does not fall under legitimate law enforcement or intelligence operations.

“Our detectives put themselves in harm’s way every day protecting New Yorkers,” remarked Munro. “The DEA would never remain silent if our members were asked to travel to a dangerous, off-limits foreign country for anything other than a legitimate law-enforcement or intelligence operation.”

He reiterated that detectives are essential in New York City, focusing on resident safety and crime fighting.

Mamdani’s past criticisms of the NYPD add an interesting layer to the current situation. He has previously disparaged the police department, proposing to defund and dismantle it, branding it as corrupt and violent in viral social media posts from 2020.

His anti-police stance seems in stark contrast to expectations of needing their assistance abroad. Mamdani has also been vocal against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him a ‘war criminal’ and suggesting his arrest.

“There is no negotiating with an institution this wicked & corrupt. Defund it. Dismantle it. End the cycle of violence,” Mamdani said in a 2020 post.

While speaking at a panel for the Democratic Socialists of America’s 2023 convention, Mamdani derogatorily linked the NYPD to the Israeli Defense Forces, expressing controversial opinions on policing and political matters.

In an apparent contradiction, during his campaign, Mamdani had declared no intention to defund the police.

His tensions with the NYPD were highlighted when he was booed off the stage at a pro-police event in Staten Island last week.