By Nicole Fuller
Newsday
FREEPORT, NY — The Freeport mayor is throwing his support behind a village cop who moonlights as a lingerie and bathing suit model.
Freeport Police Officer Samantha Sepulveda, a seven-year veteran of the force, also has 119,000 followers on the photo app Instagram, where she posts pictures of herself in bras and underwear.
In a statement Sunday, Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy called Sepulveda a “well-respected” officer.
“Samantha appropriately executes her responsibilities as a law enforcement officer and is well-respected by the community and peers,” Kennedy said. “Many police officers have legal businesses and Officer Sepulveda is entitled to the same opportunity.”
Sepulveda, 32, said Sunday that she started modeling about three years ago and that police brass and her colleagues have long been aware of her racy shots posted online.
She said some residents have made disparaging remarks and she had one stalker, but her fellow cops in the 100-sworn-member department have been supportive.
“I see it as I’m their little sister,” she said of the mostly older officers, whom she conceded probably comment privately among themselves on her second job.
“Behind my back, sure,” she said.
When told about the mayor’s thumbs-up, she responded: “Wow, he’s a rock star.”
Sepulveda, who was paid $165,830 by the village in 2015, said her work schedule as a Freeport cop — 12-hour days about 15 days out of the month — allows her to take part in photo shoots and runway shows on her days off from chasing bad guys.
But she doesn’t plan to give up her day job for modeling.
“I wouldn’t leave my police job for it,” said Sepulveda. “It’s fun. What girl doesn’t want to dress up and look pretty? But it’s not as fulfilling as saving lives and impacting people on a personal level. I like that I can do both.”
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