Mamdani taps ex-con to lead NYC jails as Rikers remains under federal oversight

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Saturday appointed an ex-con-turned prison reformer as commissioner of the Department of Correction as his administration pushes a rehabilitation-focused overhaul of corrections.

Stanley Richards, who did time in the 1980s for robbery, will be the first former inmate to serve as corrections commissioner.

“Stanley will make history in this role as the first ever formerly incarcerated person to serve as commissioner,” Mamdani said. “I will turn to Stanley as we work to build a city where justice is at the heart of our corrections system,” the mayor added.

Richards was convicted of robbery in the late 1980s and served roughly two and a half years on Rikers Island before spending an additional four and a half years in state prison, according to reporting from Gothamist and NY1. He was released in 1991.

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In his first remarks as commissioner, Richards aligned himself closely with Mamdani’s vision and rejected what he described as a punishment-centered approach to incarceration.

“Today we turn the page and we start a new era under Mayor Mamdani,” Richards said.

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Richards also pointed to his experience within the correctional system, including serving as first deputy commissioner of programs and operations at the Department of Correction and as vice chair of the Board of Correction’s Task Force to Close Rikers.

The appointment comes as New York City’s jail system remains under heightened federal scrutiny. Earlier this week, a federal judge appointed an outside remediation manager to oversee reforms at Rikers Island after years of violence, staff shortages and federal court findings that city leadership failed to fix conditions inside the jails. Rikers was originally set to be demolished by August 2027 by former Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Asked whether he had spoken with the remediation manager, Mamdani said his administration had already been in contact and emphasized cooperation.

“My administration has, and we look forward to working with the remediation manager on improving conditions in our city’s jails, both for those in custody and for correction officers,” Mamdani said.

The appointment has drawn caution from the union representing correction officers, which warned that safety must come before political ideology.

In a statement, Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association President Benny Boscio said the jails “cannot and will not operate as safely as possible if the concerns of our members are brushed aside,” adding that Richards must demonstrate a commitment to “putting safety and security before any political ideology.”

Whether Richards’ reform-focused background will translate into improved safety and order inside New York City’s jails remains an open question as he prepares to take over the troubled system.

Mamdani’s office confirmed with Fox News Digital that Richards’ first day in office will be Feb. 16.