Neighboring county installs security technology along New York City borders after Mamdani win

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blackman, a Republican whose district borders New York City, said he directed authorities to install cameras and security technology along the border with the city in light of the election of Mayor-elect Zahran Mamdani.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Blakeman, who was just re-elected earlier this month to a second term in the majority-blue county, said he would take extra precautions to maintain law and order in Nassau County in light of the election of the city’s socialist mayor, Mamdani.

“We are doing everything necessary to make sure Nassau County is safe,” he said. “We are installing technology along the New York City border that will read license plates, that will feature facial recognition, and that will have video cameras.”

He also stated that the county is hiring new police officers in addition to its current force and the 100 police cadets currently enrolled in the Nassau County Police Academy.

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“Our police officers do a great job, and I will continue to provide them with the staff, resources, technology, equipment and training that will now allow them to combat any situation that would jeopardize the security and safety of our communities here in Nassau County,” he said.

Meanwhile, Blackman said Mamdani “talks like he’s pro-criminal, not pro-victim.”

While Republicans in Virginia, New Jersey and New York suffered electoral defeats earlier this month, Blackman won his race by nearly 12 percentage points. He beat a Democrat in a district with 100,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans.

He attributes the victory to building on his messaging about improving public safety and affordability, which he said resonates with all demographics. He wasn’t even shy about denouncing New York’s sanctuary policies and the county’s partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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“New York State was a safe area, and I think that’s basically what people long for,” he explained.

“I never ran away from my pro-Trump politics. I supported the president, and I still support the president. People respected me for that, even if they disagreed, because they knew I wasn’t a phony. And yet, at the same time, what I’ve been doing on parallel paths is reaching out to communities… telling them I’m a county executive for all the people, so I’m going to continue to make their neighborhoods safer. I’m going to keep taxes low.”

“Our campaign appealed to independent and cross-border Democratic voters,” he explained. “That’s why I think we were a bright star in a dark night on election night.”

This law and order message stands in stark contrast to Mamdani’s history of comments calling police racist, homophobic, and a threat to public safety. Although Mamdani walked back those statements during his campaign, his proposal to replace law enforcement officers with mental health workers raised concerns about further deepening crime in New York City.

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As New York swings left, Blakeman said his approach runs counter to the momentum surrounding Mamdani’s socialist policy proposals.

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“Right now, I see his values ​​as anti-American,” he said. “So, I have a lot of problems with Mamdani.”

“We have built the greatest economic city in the world, with the financial capital of the world in New York City. His policies will likely destroy that,” he continued, adding that if people leave New York City, “they are welcome to come to Nassau County, where it is safe and affordable.”