Mayor Zohran Mamdani Appoints Jennifer Jones Austin to NYPD Oversight Board

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the appointment of veteran Black politician and lawyer Jennifer Jones Austin as chair of the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), the agency that investigates complaints against NYPD officers. Austin, who has served in the Bloomberg and de Blasio administrations and is a vice chief of Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, said she will approach the role acknowledging past bias while emphasizing accountability.

The CCRB, created in 1993, handles allegations of excessive force, harassment, sexual assault and racial profiling by police. Mamdani faces criticism over the lack of Black representation in his administration, and the appointment comes as he supports Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and proposes a Department of Community Safety to route some 911 calls to mental‑health professionals.