Assaults on law enforcement must carry mandatory jail time, as "staggering numbers" and rising street disorder demands stronger consequences for those who attack police and federal agents, retired NYPD Chief John Chell told Newsmax on Wednesday.
"This is real simple for me," Chell told Newsmax TV's "Newsline."
"You place your hand on a law enforcement officer, whether it be federal or local, intentionally trying to assault them, it should be mandatory jail time, end of story, full stop."
"Put someone behind bars for six months to a year, and it will stop rather quickly," he added.
His comments come as lawmakers weigh steps to toughen penalties for assaults on federal officers and amid debate over how New York City should handle immigration enforcement. Chell said New York City has seen a rise in attacks on police, citing what he described as an increase in assaults after bail reforms took effect.
He pointed to recent protests where officers were pelted with items, arguing that accountability needs to be immediate and certain to deter repeat offenses.
Turning to immigration enforcement, Chell endorsed giving Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) access to detainees already held at Rikers Island under detainers, arguing that would reduce the need for street operations.
"Let them go on Rikers Island with these people who are already [there] with detainers, and let them remove them from Rikers Island," he said. "Thus, you wouldn't have to be on the street driving around the city."
Pressed on how city officers should respond if ICE agents are confronted during a raid, Chell drew a line between civil enforcement and public safety.
While he said NYPD should not assist federal civil enforcement, he insisted officers must still protect federal partners and civilians during conflicts.
"What we will do and never stop is protect them and anyone on the street during a conflict," Chell said. "That doesn't mean we're assisting them in their civil enforcement. It means we're protecting them."
Chell also criticized New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's appointment of Alex Vitale, a New York City college professor who wrote about ending policing, to work on community safety issues.
Vitale's statements portraying police as "violence workers" reflect a mindset that is unfit for a role tied to public safety decisions, said Chell.
"This man is dangerous," Chell said. "He should not be anywhere near the public safety apparatus of the upcoming mayor and should be removed immediately."
He warned that ideas like that, if elevated inside city government, could undermine protections for residents and officers alike.
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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