THE MORNING AFTER

Tearful NYPD Rookie Sorry for Giving Lieutenant a Holiday Party Lap Dance

“I really hope it didn’t cause too much damage in the marriage or in your personal life,” she said.

A New York rookie cop who describes herself as “the life of the party” has offered a tearful apology after footage of her giving a lieutenant a lap dance at a holiday party went viral. “I do want to apologize to the lieutenant’s wife... 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,” Vera Mekuli said in a video statement to TMZ. She said she was dared to do the dance at the end of an alcohol-fueled party and it was “supposed to be for fun, shits and giggles.” But a clip of the raunchy routine exploded online, forcing Mekuli to work from home for the past week. She said colleagues have been supportive but she’s not sure what impact it will have on her job. “There’s judgement and shame,” she said. “My work self and then off-duty are two different people, I can still patrol or police the streets the way that I used to... I shouldn’t be judged... because of a lap dance I did when I was off-duty.”