NYPD Special Victims detective who twerked in racy hip-hop video was ‘professional,' never said she was a cop: director
NEW YORK — The NYPD Special Victims detective whose racy music video of her gyrating and twerking on a stripper pole went viral never told anyone she was a cop — and may have a future in modeling, the director said.
'She was one of the stars,' director Pitch Perfect said about Bronx detective Melissa Mercado, who set hearts racing as she danced in a black bra, matching G-string and glitter boots in rapper S-Quire's video 'Doin that.'
Before it was learned Mercado was one of New York's Finest, the detective was already making waves in the hip hop world, the director told TMZ.
'I've got tons of artists reaching out, trying to get her in their video,' Pitch Perfect said. 'If you look at it like that, I think it might be a great thing for her. I think she wins.'
As of Saturday, the video had 1.7 million views on YouTube.
Her performance also went viral within the department. The New York Police Department would not say if Mercado, who was promoted to detective third grade in May, has been disciplined for being part of the raunchy video.
Mercado filmed the video on her own time, but it wasn't clear if she got permission from the NYPD to perform in it before she stripped down.
A department source with knowledge of the case said Mercado was still with Bronx Special Victims, but has been removed from any active investigations.
Many in the department remain steadfast that Mercado should be disciplined — or at least removed from the prestigious investigative unit.
'I do not understand why she still has her gun and shield,' said one detective, who said Mercado should be demoted since she is still on probation as a detective. 'The department's taken them for less, but not for this.'
Another cop said it was a bad look for Mercado, who is objectified in the sexually-charged video, to still be with Special Victims, which investigates sex assault and rape cases.
'It's just a bad look,' the cop said. 'She puts the department in a bad light and there's gotta be consequences.'
An email to the department regarding Mercado's status and if she is facing disciplinary charges for the sultry video were not immediately returned.
As of Friday, neither Mercado nor the department had been in contact with the Detectives Endowment Association about the video, a union spokesman said.
Mercado joined the NYPD in 2018 and served in the Bronx's 50th Precinct before working in the Special Victims Bureau and specialized units. In her seven-year career with the department, Mercado has been credited with 54 felony and 81 misdemeanor arrests and in 2022 received an award for excellent police duty, according to her department profile.
Rapper S-Quire told TMZ that 'everything was handled professionally' during the shoot.
'I don't think anybody would know what her job was outside,' he said, claiming that the video went viral before news broke about Mercado's chosen profession.
'It was at 1.1 million views before the news broke,' he said. 'It was already a viral video because I was investing in my career. I don't want to be known as the guy who went viral because she was a police officer. That's extremely unfortunate.'
Pitch Perfect said Mercado auditioned for the video through a modeling agency. The video was shot in a club in Elmhurst, Queens.
'I never think to ask (the dancers), 'What do you do in real life,'' the director pondered. 'I think maybe (if I did), it would have moved different.'
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