New York’s Finest: Retired & Unfiltered Podcast

Are New York’s police unions helping the very politicians pushing policies that make it harder to police New York?

On this episode of New York’s Finest: Retired & Unfiltered, we take a hard look at the NYPD PBA’s political endorsements and the union’s decision to back Democrats in key State Senate and Assembly races — including races where Republican incumbents are seeking reelection.

We’ll follow the endorsements, examine the candidates receiving PBA support, and ask a bigger question: Could these endorsements help Democrats — including the party’s growing socialist/progressive wing — solidify enough power in Albany to achieve veto-proof supermajorities in both the State Senate and Assembly?

For a union representing thousands of New York City police officers, these endorsements deserve scrutiny. What do the endorsed candidates actually believe about policing, criminal justice, immigration, public safety and the laws NYPD officers are expected to enforce?

And why would the PBA support some of these candidates over Republicans who have publicly positioned themselves as pro-law enforcement?

AT 8:30 AM ET: We’ll be joined by New York State Senator Steven Chan, a retired NYPD Sergeant who served more than two decades in law enforcement.

Despite his NYPD background and strong support for law enforcement, Senator Chan did not receive the endorsement of the NYPD PBA.

We’ll ask him about the PBA’s endorsement decisions, the political battle for control of Albany, the future of public safety legislation in New York, and what a veto-proof Democratic majority could mean for police officers and New Yorkers.

Are NYPD unions protecting their members or helping build a political majority that could ultimately work against them?

Join us LIVE and sound off in the comments.

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More than a decade after an off-duty encounter ended with the fatal shooting of Delrawn Small, NYPD Officer Wayne Isaacs is still fighting for his career.

Isaacs was criminally charged with murder and manslaughter following the 2016 shooting, but a Brooklyn jury acquitted him in 2017 after he testified that he acted in self-defense. The NYPD’s own review also reportedly found the shooting within departmental guidelines.

So why, nearly TEN YEARS later, is Isaacs still facing an NYPD disciplinary trial?

We break down the shooting, the criminal case, the surveillance video, Isaacs’ acquittal, the CCRB’s years-later investigation, and the extraordinary jurisdictional battle over whether the CCRB should have been able to pursue this case in the first place.

An NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Trials recommended dismissing the disciplinary case on jurisdictional grounds — only for Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch to reverse that decision and allow the case to move forward.

Is this legitimate police accountability, or has the disciplinary process become punishment in itself?

And what does the Wayne Isaacs case mean for every NYPD officer who believes that once a shooting has been investigated, reviewed and adjudicated, the case is finally over?

Then at 8:30 AM, we shift to national politics as we’re joined by Adam Brandon, Political Independent Strategist, for a conversation about the 2026 midterms and the growing role of independent candidates.

With voters increasingly frustrated with the traditional two-party system, can independent candidates actually disrupt congressional races? We’ll discuss where independents could have an impact, what obstacles they face, what voters are looking for heading into the midterms, and whether the political landscape is opening up for candidates outside the Republican and Democratic establishments.

Join the crew for another episode of New York’s Finest: Retired & Unfiltered.

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What does it take to get shot in the line of duty, survive a devastating spinal cord injury, and still refuse to walk away from the fight?

On this episode of New York’s Finest: Retired & Unfiltered we sit down with retired NYPD First Grade Detective Terry McGhee for an incredible story of policing, survival, resilience and counterterrorism.

McGhee served 36 years with the NYPD, including more than two decades assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

His career took him from the streets of New York City to some of the most consequential terrorism investigations of the post-9/11 era.

In 1990, McGhee was shot in the line of duty.

Years later, his life changed again after suffering a devastating C6 spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed.

For many people, that would have ended the career.

Not Terry McGhee.

He returned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force in a wheelchair and continued investigating terrorists threatening the United States.

Among the cases he worked was the investigation of Sulaiman Abu Ghayth, Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law and an al-Qaeda spokesman, who was ultimately convicted in federal court on terrorism-related charges.

We take Terry through the entire journey: his early life, boxing and Army background, becoming a New York City police officer, being shot in the line of duty, investigative work, 9/11 and the JTTF, the injury that left him paralyzed, his extraordinary decision to return to work, and the terrorism cases that followed.

This isn't just an NYPD story.

It's a story about what happens when circumstances take away almost everything but can't take away your mission.

Shot. Paralyzed. Still hunting terrorists.

This is the incredible story of NYPD Detective Terry McGhee.

Subscribe to The Finest Unfiltered for unfiltered conversations about policing, public safety, New York City and the men and women who did the job.

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Cities across Europe are confronting massive demonstrations, violent clashes, fires and civil unrest. On this episode of New York’s Finest: Retired & Unfiltered, we ask a question New York City’s leaders should be considering:

As scenes of unrest overseas demonstrate how quickly large demonstrations can deteriorate into violence and disorder, NYC Council Member Chi Ossé says supporters of the CURB Act have secured enough votes to pass the legislation.

The CURB Act would significantly restrict the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group (SRG) by prohibiting its deployment at First Amendment events and generally preventing the unit from being used for crowd-control purposes.

We break down the role of the SRG, why specialized training and coordinated crowd-control capabilities matter, and whether NYC is restricting the NYPD’s ability to respond at the exact moment events around the world are demonstrating how quickly civil unrest can spiral out of control.

We’ll also examine the political movement to abolish ICE, NYC’s sanctuary policies and what eliminating or severely restricting federal immigration enforcement could mean for border security, illegal immigration and New York City.

Could reduced immigration enforcement encourage additional illegal immigration? And could another mass influx place additional pressure on housing, schools, policing and other public services while creating greater challenges surrounding assimilation and integration?

SPECIAL GUEST — 8:30 AM ET

At 8:30 AM, we’ll be joined by retired NYPD Lieutenant Commander Joseph Cardinale, the Republican and Conservative candidate for New York State Assembly District 11.

We’ll talk to Joe about his race for the State Assembly, the direction of New York, support for law enforcement, bail and criminal-justice policies, illegal immigration and his position that New York needs stronger immigration enforcement and border security. Cardinale for Assembly

We’ll also discuss the attacks being leveled against Cardinale over his conservative positions and support for ICE—and give Joe the opportunity to respond directly.

Learn more about Joe Cardinale and his campaign:

From the streets of Europe to the streets of New York City, the question is:

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New York’s Finest: Retired & Unfiltered

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On this episode of New York’s Finest: Retired & Unfiltered, we break down the latest developments surrounding former NYPD Officer Salvatore Alongi and the controversial 2024 police shooting of Win Rozario.

We examine the recent reporting from THE CITY regarding Alongi being placed into New York State's police decertification process following his retirement from the NYPD, and what that could mean for his ability to work as a police officer elsewhere in New York.

We’ll also discuss NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch’s call for a review of the department’s use-of-force guidelines and the growing political pressure surrounding the Rozario shooting.

We go back to the actual encounter and examine the officers’ actions, the body-camera footage, the deployment of Tasers, Rozario advancing while armed with scissors, and the ultimate decision to use deadly physical force.

Were the officers’ actions consistent with the realities of a rapidly evolving deadly-force encounter? What exactly does the Mamdani administration want changed in NYPD use-of-force policy? And could new restrictions cause officers to hesitate when their lives—or the lives of others—are in immediate danger?

We’re joined by Alina Bonsell, Republican nominee and independent candidate for New York State Senate District 28, which includes much of Manhattan's East Side and Roosevelt Island. Bonsell is challenging longtime incumbent State Senator Liz Krueger and is campaigning on public safety, affordability, mental-health reform and support for law enforcement. Alina for NY Senate

We’ll talk with Alina about her campaign, the direction of New York City and Albany, public safety, the NYPD, Mayor Mamdani and why she believes District 28 needs new representation.

FOLLOW ALINA BONSELL

Campaign: AlinaBonsell.com

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Are politics putting your pension, your financial future, and the stability of the country at risk?

On this episode of The Finest Unfiltered, we sit down with Dr. Mike ter Maat former White House Office of Management and Budget financial economist, former police officer, and the Libertarian Party’s 2024 nominee for Vice President of the United States.

Mike Ter Maat brings a rare perspective to the conversation. He has worked inside the federal government as an economist, spent more than two decades working in economics and public policy, taught economics, and later served more than 11 years as a police officer in Broward County, Florida.

We discuss how politics is increasingly intersecting with economics, policing, public pensions and financial markets and whether those political decisions are contributing to civil unrest and long-term financial instability.

We get into:

For cops, firefighters, teachers, municipal workers and retirees, this isn't simply an economics debate. Billions of dollars in retirement assets and the financial security people spent their careers earning can be affected by decisions being made today.

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The Finest Unfiltered :Police. Politics. Unfiltered.

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The pressure on Mamdani to Fire NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch is escalating.

On this episode of New York’s Finest: Retired & Unfiltered, we break down the growing demands from the Democratic Socialists of America and activists for Mayor Zohran Mamdani to fire Commissioner Jessica Tisch and dismantle two specialized NYPD units, the Strategic Response Group (SRG) and Community Response Team (CRT).

The DSA’s latest statement explicitly demands: Fire Tisch. Disband the SRG. Disband the CRT. The organization has accused the specialized units of being used to suppress dissent and is pushing the Mamdani administration to fundamentally change how the NYPD handles protests and public disorder.

We examine what eliminating these units would actually mean operationally for New York City, whether Tisch can continue balancing the demands of the mayor’s political coalition with the realities of running the nation’s largest police department, and whether this fight is becoming a defining test for the Mamdani administration.

Also in the show:

We discuss the growing outrage surrounding former NYPD Officer Salvatore Alongi, one of the officers involved in the 2024 fatal shooting of 19-year-old Win Rozario.

The NYPD failed to notify the CCRB before his pension was considered, preventing the board from taking whatever action it deemed appropriate before his retirement. Commissioner Tisch has acknowledged the department's failure, calling it the result of “human error” and apologizing. The NYPD says the civilian employee responsible was demoted and reassigned and that procedures have since been changed. CBS News

Are Jessica Tisch days numbered ? How long can this political arrangement last?

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On this episode of The Finest Unfiltered, we discuss Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s affordable housing push and the selection of 12 NYC community districts for an Affordable Housing Fast Track, including areas of Staten Island, South Brooklyn, Howard Beach and eastern Queens.

The Mamdani administration says these communities were selected based on their historically low production of affordable housing. But we examine the bigger political and policy questions: Why these neighborhoods? How does the plan intersect with NYC’s broader racial-equity agenda? And what role does the administration’s rhetoric about predominantly “white neighborhoods” play in its housing strategy?

We break down the NYC Citywide Racial Equity Plan, what it says about housing, segregation, racial disparities and neighborhood opportunity, and whether affordable housing policy is simply about increasing the housing supply—or being used as a mechanism to deliberately reshape particular NYC communities.

Also on this episode:

SUSPECTS IN NYPD DETECTIVE STABBING CAPTURED

MAN ARRESTED AFTER WOMAN THROWN FROM BRONX WINDOW

ICE Shooting in the Bronx

The Finest Unfiltered - We break down NYPD news, NYC crime, politics, public safety and the stories behind the headlines.

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NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch are celebrating “historic” crime reductions — but what does the full picture actually show?

On this episode of New York’s Finest: Retired & Unfiltered, we break down today’s NYPD crime press conference and separate the REAL-TIME numbers from the revisionism.

The NYPD reports that through the first nine months of 2026, NYC recorded its fewest murders, shooting incidents and shooting victims in recorded history, while overall major crime declined 6.6% citywide. Those are significant numbers — and the cops responsible for driving violent crime down deserve the credit.

But we're also going to talk about what wasn't emphasized at the podium.

Just days ago, off-duty NYPD Detective Jose Mercedes was stabbed and slashed seven times during a violent Bronx robbery after two men riding an e-bike allegedly tried to steal his gold chain. The suspects fled, and as of the latest reporting remain at large.

So we'll ask the question:

Can both things be true? Can murders and shootings be at historic lows while New Yorkers are still confronting serious robbery, repeat-offender and quality-of-life problems that headline statistics don't fully capture?

We'll break down the numbers, what was highlighted, what wasn't, and why crime statistics need context not political spin.

PLUS — LIVE AT 8:30 AM ET:

https://shamalforny.com/

️ LIVE TOMORROW — 8:05 AM ET

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An NYPD detective is robbed and stabbed in New York City, allegedly during an encounter involving suspects on a moped. It’s another disturbing incident raising questions about a style of street crime New Yorkers have increasingly seen involving mopeds, scooters and e-bikes—robberies, phone and jewelry snatches, assaults, and fast getaways through crowded city streets and sidewalks.

On this episode of New York’s Finest: Retired & Unfiltered, we break down the attack and ask a larger question: How did New York City allow this problem to develop and why has government struggled to get control of it?

We examine the enforcement challenges surrounding unregistered and illegal mopeds, repeat offenders, NYPD pursuits and enforcement restrictions, and whether NYC's elected officials have treated the problem with the urgency it deserves.

We also tackle one of the most controversial pieces of the story: New York City's sanctuary-city policies. What role does immigration status actually play in the moped-robbery trend? When suspects are undocumented, what restrictions exist on cooperation between NYC authorities and federal immigration officials? And do those policies allow offenders who might otherwise face immigration enforcement to remain in the city?

Rather than pretending every moped rider or migrant is responsible for crime, we're looking at the specific criminal networks and offenders exploiting mopeds as a tool to commit crimes—and whether NYC policies make apprehending, prosecuting, detaining and removing repeat offenders more difficult.

Also discussed:

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