Dec. 26, 2021
NEW YORK — The NYPD rookie police officer who has become well-known for actions that were caught on video giving her lieutenant a steamy lap dance at their precinct holiday party, publicly apologized to her boss and his wife.
However, the young cop insisted the video wouldn’t have gone viral “had it been a man doing it,” the New York Post reported.
“I feel like just because, mainly — I’m a female, dressed the way I was, being a rookie ‚— things were different,” Vera Mekuli told TMZ. “Had it been a man doing it, I feel like it would have been more of a joking matter and it would have stayed in-house versus go public the way it did with me.”
Vera Mekuli said she was not aware of Nick McGarry’s marriage.
Mekuli, 26, said she “had no knowledge” her boss was married. Therefore, she is “truly sorry” for the consequences of the provocative gyrations, which prompted police brass to reassign 44th Precinct Lt. Nick McGarry to subway patrol, she said.
“I do want to apologize to the lieutenant’s wife. You know, I am sorry, truly I am and I really hope it didn’t cause too much damage in the marriage or in your personal life,” she said. “I know it’s been rough. I’ve been seeing the articles and I’ve been seeing pictures of you guys all over the newspapers as well as mine. It wasn’t meant to be like this. I really had no knowledge of your marriage.”
“It was supposed to be for fun, shits and giggles,” she said. “I feel like I’ve completely ruined, I guess, his picture as a lieutenant, as a boss. I know it doesn’t look good on him at all. But I do apologize.”
Mekuli is usually “the life of the party when it comes down to it,” she told TMZ. Hence, late into her precinct’s holiday festivities she was “dared” by her coworkers to give a lap dance. Therefore, she “grabbed the lieutenant, sat him down” and “did the lap dance,” she recalled.
Mekuli said her bosses at the precinct “feel bad” about the incident. As a result, they’ve allowed her to work from home this week, the Post reported.
“I would love to go back. It’s hard. I feel like there’s just judgment and shame that shouldn’t be there,” she said through tears. “I feel like I shouldn’t be judged, or anything of that sort because of the lap dance that I did when I was off duty not in uniform.”
WATCH VERA MEKULI’S INTERVIEW WITH TMZ
Dec. 22, 2021
NEW YORK — The NYPD rookie police officer filmed giving her lieutenant a sexually suggestive lap dance at their Bronx precinct holiday party has been identified, according to reports.
Vera Mekuli, 26, has been an NYPD officer for less than a year, having joined the police agency last February.
Mekuli was filmed grinding on top of 44th Precinct Lt. Nick McGarry in the Yonkers bar last Thursday, according to the New York Post.
Prior to becoming an NYPD officer, Mekuli worked as a real estate agent in New York City, the Daily Mail reported.
Mekuli described herself as a “highly motivated and determined individual” on her LinkedIn profile, which has since been deleted.
“I tend to go after what I want and I don’t stop until I get it. If I am to fail. I pick myself up and try again,” her LinkedIn bio said, according to the Post.
“Success does not come without failure. I’ve learned at a very young age that success/wealth/opportunities isn’t just given or handed to you, it is earned; earned by hard work and time you put in.
“I have tackled every task, every obstacle, that came before me. I like helping others and I always put others before myself.”
The woman is a Bronx native who attended the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Various media outlets were unsuccessful trying to reach her for comment.
However, her father, John Mekuli, told The Post on Monday that she was “frustrated” over the ordeal.
“She told me, ‘Daddy, I make some mistake,’” he said. “‘I’m very embarrassed about what I did. I embarrassed you and my family.’”
“She cried and cried,” her father said. “She is young. … He is married, the lieutenant. He should know better. I am going to sue them.”
Mekuli’s since-deleted LinkedIn profile said she worked as a real estate agent before joining NYPD. (Vera Mekuli/Pinterest)
McGarry was reassigned to the Transit Bureau as the department launched an investigation into the sultry video, sources told the news outlet.
When the report first surfaced, an embarrassed McGarry had to physically restrain his fuming wife outside their home when asked about The Post’s front-page story, which covered the steamy ordeal.
“F–k you!” McGarry’s wife, Melissa McGarry, seethed while trying to charge at a Post reporter and photographer.
She was restrained by her husband, who told her, “It’s not worth it, get back in the car” as she continued to spit obscenities.
“There are other things to worry about in this world!” the wife barked at reporters.
As the couple drove away from their home, the wife took her hands off the steering wheel, flipped off the reporter with both hands and screamed, “F–k you! F–k you! F–k you!” one last time.
Meanwhile, the rookie officer isn’t facing any disciplinary charges, according to The Post.
