An NYPD captain learned quickly that talking spicy while on duty can come with consequences. The badge talked recklessly about the NYC Mayor and it came back to bite him.
As spotted on The Gothamist, Capt. James Wilson was transferred after he was seen on video criticizing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani while working the scene of an anti-immigration enforcement protest in Bushwick, Brooklyn over the weekend. According to the report, Wilson was moved on Monday to the NYPD’s communications division at a 911 call center in The Bronx.
The video in question shows Wilson speaking with members of a crowd that had gathered outside Wyckoff Heights Medical Center. The protest reportedly formed after word spread that a man arrested by ICE agents earlier that day had been brought to the hospital. Police were called to the scene after multiple 911 calls were made about a large group outside the building.
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During the exchange, Wilson was asked about Mamdani and did not exactly keep things neutral. “He’s nonsense,” Wilson said in the clip. “He’s, you know, like temporary.” Wilson also reportedly said “Not my boss,” before calling the mayor “an embarrassment and total nonsense.” The captain then took things even further by saying, “All Democrats: a waste of human race.”
Yeah, not exactly the kind of public-facing commentary the department is probably looking for from one of its captains while on the clock. An NYPD spokesperson told The Gothamist that department policy prohibits officers from publicly expressing personal views about a political party while they are on duty. The spokesperson also said Wilson’s disciplinary process is ongoing.
The protest outside Wyckoff Heights Medical Center also led to several arrests. Officers took nine people into custody, with eight arrested on various charges and one person given a summons and released. The incident comes as another video from the same demonstration has also drawn attention. In that footage, an NYPD officer is seen throwing a demonstrator to the ground. At a Monday press conference, Mayor Mamdani called that video “incredibly disturbing” and said the matter is being investigated.
As for Wilson’s comments, Mamdani reportedly said he had not seen that particular clip yet but would follow up. A City Hall spokesperson declined to comment on Wilson’s transfer. You can watch the video of Capt. James Wilson in the act below.
