via WorldStarHipHop on YouTube
Detective Melissa Mercado, a seven-year veteran of the New York City Police Department, is facing backlash for appearing in a rapper’s music video. In the music video for S-Quire’s “Doin That,” a scantily clad Mercado can be seen twerking.
Mercado — a grade 3 detective in the Bronx special victims unit who makes a reported $144,000 per year — can be seen dancing the in the music video for the song “Doin That” by New York City rapper S-Quire.
Mercado is the only dancer featured in the video (the video is on YouTube so while it’s technically “safe,” I’d also be extremely considerate of where you watch it), which was directed by Picture Perfect and shared by WorldStarHipHop on YouTube. Since being posted on February 6, the video has racked up over 1.5 million views in a month.
According to a source who spoke to the New York Post, while some may have issues with her conduct in the video, Mercado is good cop that’s “respected by her peers” and has not broken any rules. Retired NYPD Special Victims Division Chief Michael Osgood, however, said that Mercado’s behavior is “unbecoming” and “morally wrong” conduct for a police officer.
“What she’s doing really has nothing to do with her as an employee, as an NYC detective, 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,” a police union source told The Post.
“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.”
A second source who defended Mercado said that she has “made some good collars” and is “respected by her peers.” As of 2025, the NYPD reported has over 36,000 officers in its ranks, in addition to another 19,000 civilian employees.