Detective Melissa Mercado, an NYPD Special Victims investigator, has been pulled from active cases pending a review after she appeared as a stripper in a provocative music video.
Mercado’s behavior is currently under review, though the NYPD is reportedly still trying to determine whether she violated any department policies.
The detective starred in a video for Hempstead, NY rapper S-Qire, who claims he wasn’t aware of Mercado’s day job. In an interview he and the video’s director, Pitch Perfect, revealed that Mercado was brought on through a casting agency.
Pitch Perfect added that Mercado became a highly sought-after dancer for other rap projects after appearing in the video.
“Everyone loved this model,” the director said, with S-Quire agreeing, calling her a “beautiful woman.”
“I’ve had tons of artists reach out trying to get her in their video,” Pitch Perfect told the outlet, adding with a laugh, “If you look at it like that, it might be a great thing for her. I think she wins.”
To put it mildly, the nature of the video is graphic. Mercado is seen wearing scantily clad clothing while twerking on a stripper pole in an empty club. All the while S-Qire throws dollar bills at the NYPD detective while belting out even more graphics lyrics.
“Legs long, a** thick, just wanna smash it quick hit the dash, and split. Cash app it quick, straight on some ratchet s**t, she loves to scratch and spit,” the artist raps in the song.
Mercado has yet to respond to the backlash for her actions.
