NYPD Detective Melissa Mercado Pulled from Active Sex Crimes Cases Amid Music Video Controversy

NYPD Detective Melissa Mercado—who went viral for her unexpected appearance as a stripper in a risqué music video—has been removed from active sex crimes investigations while the department conducts an internal review.

Law enforcement sources confirm to TMZ that Mercado, a well-regarded investigator with the Special Victims Unit (SVU), is currently not assigned to new cases. Officials are now determining whether she properly filed off-duty employment paperwork, which all NYPD officers must submit when working an additional job outside the force.

The controversy erupted after Mercado was spotted in rapper S-Quire’s music video Doin That, where she appeared in a bra and G-string, dancing in a nightclub, a VIP room, and even posing on a bed in lingerie. The video quickly gained traction online, leading to questions about whether her participation violated any NYPD policies.

S-Quire and the video’s director, Pitch Perfect, told TMZ they had no idea Mercado was a detective when she was cast, claiming she was referred through a casting agency.

As of now, the NYPD has not made a formal statement regarding the review, leaving the future of Detective Mercado’s career uncertain.

Stay tuned for updates as the investigation unfolds.