Democratic candidates running for the New York City mayoral primary are promoting a harsher stance on crime and public safety ahead of this year’s election.

State Senator Zellnor Myrie, who was once pepper sprayed by the police, released a plan to hire 3,000 additional police officers.

As crime remains a top concern for voters, Democrats running to unseat Mayor Eric Adams are jockeying to convince the electorate they can deliver on public safety — while distancing themselves from calls to “defund the police.