New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has repeatedly said he would order the arrest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the city for the United Nations General Assembly in September — a move that would place the order in the hands of New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
Under the mayor’s authority, Tisch would be responsible for directing the New York Police Department to carry out such an arrest if it were ordered. Mamdani has said he would enforce an International Criminal Court warrant against Netanyahu should the prime minister travel to New York, a pledge that legal experts say would be difficult to implement because the United States does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction.
Tisch, 45, leads the largest municipal police force in the United States. She was appointed New York City police commissioner in November 2024 and oversees nearly 50,000 uniformed officers and civilian employees.
A member of one of the country’s wealthiest families, Tisch does not rely on the position for income. The Tisch family fortune — built through the Loews hotel company and expanded into insurance, natural gas pipelines and a stake in the New York Giants football team — has been estimated at about $10 billion.
Despite her wealth, Tisch has spent much of her career in government service. She holds three degrees from Harvard University and first joined the NYPD in 2008 as an intelligence analyst in its counterterrorism bureau, a role she took as the city remained on heightened alert years after the Sept. 11 attacks.
She later served as deputy commissioner for information technology in the department and went on to hold several senior city posts, including New York City’s commissioner of information technology and commissioner of the Department of Sanitation.
Her appointment as police commissioner came during a turbulent period for the department, which had seen several leadership changes and a series of scandals in recent years.
One of the major challenges facing the department during her tenure has been rising antisemitism. Jews make up about 10% of New York City’s population but were the targets of 57% of reported hate crimes in 2025, according to NYPD data. A total of 330 antisemitic incidents were recorded that year.
“These numbers remain far too high, and antisemitism continues to be the most persistent hate threat that we face,” Tisch said at a press conference.
Crime statistics have improved during her time in office. January 2026 was the safest January on record in New York for shootings and homicides, with 40 shooting incidents and 12 murders across the city. Overall major crime — including murder, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary and car theft — fell about 6.7%.
Still, Tisch has developed a reputation as a demanding manager. Some former subordinates told The New York Times she could be blunt and confrontational with staff, while others say her direct style is necessary in a role where public safety decisions can have life-or-death consequences.
Tisch grew up on Manhattan’s Upper East Side and attended the prestigious Dalton School before enrolling at Harvard. As a student, she served as captain of Harvard’s men’s rowing team — an unusual role for a woman at the time — helping lead the team to a national championship.
She later earned law and business degrees at Harvard and married fellow graduate Daniel Levine, now a venture capital executive. The couple has two sons.
Before beginning her career in city government, Tisch briefly worked in journalism and public policy roles, including as a fact-checker in the speechwriting office of President George W. Bush.
Despite her family’s business empire, Tisch has said she never planned to enter the family business. Instead, she built a career in law enforcement, technology and public administration.
Whether she will eventually pursue elected office remains uncertain. Tisch has said she sees herself primarily as a public servant rather than a politician, though speculation occasionally surfaces that she could one day run for mayor of New York.