The New York Police Department is conducting an “internal review” after an Instagram video posted last week went viral, showing an officer making a reference to oral sex and using the homophobic slur “f—--t” through a squad car’s speaker. As of Friday morning, the video has 2.3 million views. The Instagram user, @skymilezz, did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment. In a Thursday email, an NYPD spokesperson said, “The Department does not tolerate discrimination in any form and is committed to respectful work environments for our diverse workforce.” The Gay Officers Action League, a nonprofit group that advocates for LGBTQ+ NYPD officers, condemned the language used as reprehensible and said, “This incident reminds us of the ongoing prejudices that persist within our society, and the ease with which some resort to hate speech.” GOAL President Brian Downey recalled in a Thursday interview that the NYPD was already investigating the incident before he saw the video. “I understand there’s certain things in a disciplinary process or an investigation that you can’t comment on… but we’re watching,” he said.
