A glamorous NYPD cop, who was once suspended for intervening in a traffic stop involving her alleged drug-dealing boyfriend, is now suing the department, alleging that her career has been derailed after her topless photo was repeatedly shared among colleagues, according to a lawsuit.
Alisa Bajraktarevic, 34, who joined the department in 2012 and sent her topless photo to Lt. Mark Rivera, whom she was dating at that time spread "like wildfire," she claims in her Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit. Rivera allegedly sent the photo in a group text with other police officers that immediately went viral but Bajraktarevic claims that union delegates advised her not to file a complaint.
Furious at Department
Last year, Bajraktarevic was suspended after she allegedly tried to use her cop status to avoid a search of the vehicle linked to her supposed drug-dealing boyfriend, Kelvin Hernandez, 33, who has since been charged with resisting arrest.
Following an internal inquiry, Bajraktarevic was suspended for 30 days without pay and was directed to stop any association with Hernandez.
The topless image allegedly resurfaced during this time and went viral across various group chats and message chains within the department, as detailed in the Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit filed in December.
Bajraktarevic said that she approached the department to take action but the union delegates asked her not to file a complaint.
"You are not the first or last woman this has happened to or would happen to," one allegedly told her.
"You do things in confidence. It doesn't warrant you being treated like a piece of sh-t," Bajraktarevic told The New York Post.
She became aware of the re-emergence of the picture when a union delegate informed her that a retired officer had shared it in a group chat. Following this revelation, Bajraktarevic claimed to receive almost daily messages from colleagues who had seen or heard about the image.
"It's bullying. I'm not the first and I'm definitely not the last but, when is it going to be enough?" she said, weeping. "Because someone is definitely going to harm themselves over it. It feels like everything was swept under the rug."
Fighting for Justice
Sources indicate that romance sparked between Bajraktarevic and Hernandez when they first met at the gym. Bajraktarevic reportedly had received prior warnings from colleagues advising her to steer clear of Hernandez.
Speaking about the alleged drug dealer, the source said, "He's a really bad guy and known to the department."
The department was aware of Bajraktarevic's relationship with the alleged drug dealer for about a year, dating back to her attempt to intervene in a search at his Manhattan home.
Despite being warned by fellow officers to distance herself from the dealer, Bajraktarevic continued her love affair and even brought him to a company party.
"This person eventually is going to use you as a get-out-of-jail card, which is what he did," the source said.
Authorities had planned to search the car belonging to Hernandez, described as "a major player," and arrest him for drug trafficking, as per the source.
However, Bajraktarevic quickly exited the car, seemingly determined to ensure both herself and the alleged drug dealer escaped without consequences.
"They didn't know who she was until she stepped up and said who she was," the source told the New York Post.
"She definitely gave them a hard time," another source added.
Bajraktarevic claims that in addition to the topless image, her personal information, including her parents' address, was also circulated. The glamorous cop is now suing the city, the department, Rivera, and another supervisor whom she alleges sexually harassed her in 2017.
Her legal representative, John Scola, is seeking unspecified damages, citing the incident as an "illegal invasion of privacy."
The attorney said that the controversy highlights the NYPD's "disregard for the treatment of its women officers." In the legal proceedings, Bajraktarevic also maintained that her then-boyfriend, Hernandez, is not a drug dealer.
"The part that nobody talks about is how we bully each other — it's disgusting," Bajraktarevic said.
The city Law Department stated that it would review the lawsuit. The NYPD refrained from commenting specifically on the litigation but asserted that it " does not tolerate discrimination or sexual harassment in any form and is committed to respectful work environments for our diverse workforce."
