NEW YORK (Diya TV) — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Thursday fired Sheriff Anthony Miranda and named former NYPD officer and whistleblower Edwin Raymond as his replacement, marking a major leadership change inside the city’s Sheriff’s Office.
The move signals Mamdani’s effort to distance his administration from controversies tied to former Mayor Eric Adams’ leadership. Mamdani said Raymond’s appointment reflects a new direction focused on accountability, fairness, and public trust in law enforcement.
“Edwin Raymond represents the kind of public servant New Yorkers deserve: principled, courageous, and deeply committed to justice,” Mamdani said in a statement Thursday.
Mamdani praised Raymond for his work pushing for police reform and building stronger community trust. He said Raymond understands that public safety depends on confidence between residents and city agencies.
Raymond spent more than a decade with the New York Police Department before retiring early to focus on police reform efforts. He gained national attention after filing a lawsuit in 2015 alongside 11 other officers. The lawsuit claimed the NYPD used illegal arrest and summons quotas that unfairly targeted minority communities and violated state law and constitutional protections. Raymond later became a public advocate for policing reform. In 2023, he published the book “An Inconvenient Cop: My Fight to Change Policing in America.” He also ran for the New York City Council unsuccessfully in 2021.
“I look forward to continuing that work as Sheriff by helping build a safer, fairer, and more accountable city for all New Yorkers,” Raymond said in a statement.
Miranda declined to comment on his firing.
“I don’t have anything to say at this point,” he told the New York Daily News.
Mamdani also removed First Deputy Sheriff Warren Glover and Miranda’s executive assistant, Isabella Geroux, on Thursday. The leadership shake-up comes after years of controversy surrounding Miranda’s tenure. Adams appointed Miranda to lead the Sheriff’s Office in May 2022. Since then, the agency has faced investigations, internal disputes, and criticism from union leaders.
One major controversy involved the city’s crackdown on illegal cannabis shops. In 2024, investigators began reviewing claims that sheriff’s deputies improperly handled evidence seized during raids on unlicensed marijuana stores. During the investigation, officials reportedly discovered more than $100,000 in cash inside safes located at the Sheriff’s Office headquarters in Long Island City, Queens. The safes had reportedly been seized during a cannabis raid. Investigators also found a ledger with missing pages, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
The discovery raised new questions because Miranda previously said deputies did not collect cash during enforcement operations. The Sheriff’s Office also faced problems with deputy training programs. In July 2025, training for dozens of sheriff recruits stalled after the Department of Investigation found that academy instructors responsible for firearms and investigative training lacked proper state certification.
The delay disrupted graduation plans for more than 80 sheriff cadets. Officials later approved the graduation, which the agency described as the largest academy class in its history. Tensions between Miranda and union officials also grew during his leadership. The NYC Deputy Sheriffs Benevolent Association repeatedly criticized Miranda and accused him of creating a hostile work environment that pushed experienced staff members out of the department.
In February 2025, two senior Sheriff’s Office officials, Wilfredo Perez and Thomas Egan, resigned unexpectedly after joining the agency only months earlier. Following Thursday’s announcement, union leaders welcomed the leadership change. Ingrid Simonovic, president of the Edwin Raymond Deputy Sheriffs Benevolent Association, criticized what she described as “mismanagement and malfeasance” during Miranda’s time in office.
“It’s time for a fresh start in the New York City Sheriff’s Office, and we look forward to working with the new Sheriff to move this agency forward and make our city safer for everyone,” Simonovic said.
