A highly-regarded American police detective has come under fire after a raunchy video that shows her “gyrating” on a pole in a music video has emerged.
Melissa Mercado, who has worked as an investigator for the NYPD for 7 years, has been identified as the woman in a sexy music video for a rapper named S-Quire, MailOnline reports.
In the in 3-minute 46-second clip, the dancer can be seen moving provocatively in a G-string against a pole in what appears to be a strip club.
She is not named in the risque video but law enforcement sources have confirmed to multiple US-outlets that it is her.
“I really don’t understand why this woman would do something that dumb,” one told the US-based publication.
“We are supposed to be held to a higher standard as role models.”
While another “disgusted detective” told the New York Post, “I have no words”.
Mercado, who reportedly earns $US144,000-a-year (about $227,000 Australian Dollars) as a grade 3 detective, is assigned to a special victims unit and has worked on cases involving sexual violence.
Detective Mercado has not responded to requests for comment, but she reportedly shut down her social media pages moments after being approached.
The cop’s controversial performance in the ‘Doin That’ video has garnered millions of views on social media – with S-Quire stating he “didn’t know” what the star of his video did for a living.
“She doesn’t seem like a detective. When you think of detectives, you think of Special Victims Unit on the TV,” he told MailOnline.
“This is interesting. I’m kind of blown away.”
Posted in February, the racy video has attracted millions of views on social media, including 1.2 million on YouTube where it was posted by World Star Hip Hop, and another 1.1 million on the rappers Instagram page.
The lyrics included X-rated language about a woman “sliding up the pole” which played as Detective Mercado can be seen “gyrating and shaking her body” in just her undies and a bra.
While some of Mercado’s colleagues were said to be unimpressed, others have reportedly claimed it is none of their business.
“What she’s doing really has nothing to do with her as an employee, as an NYC detective,” a police union source told the New York Post.
“She’s not wearing NYPD paraphernalia. Nothing in the video says she’s a detective.
“If she is performing for money, if she has a side gig, the job would want to know about that.”
“The member would be obligated to file an off-duty employment application. I would say nothing she does in the video is the department’s business.”
Another police source defended the cop, saying she has “made some good collars” and is “respected by her peers”.
