Internal Affairs is reviewing content tied to Police Officer Dannah Battino, 110th Precinct, as union officials and coworkers split over whether it violates department standards.
NEW YORK — The New York City Police Department opened an internal review this week after explicit content linked to a rookie officer’s OnlyFans account circulated inside the force, prompting outrage from some colleagues and calls for her removal, according to people briefed on the matter. The officer, identified by multiple accounts as Dannah Battino of the 110th Precinct in Elmhurst, Queens, is in her two-year probationary period and could face discipline up to termination if investigators conclude she violated NYPD rules.
The case has quickly become a flashpoint over off-duty conduct and online life for public employees. Police officials confirmed the Internal Affairs Bureau is examining whether the material and any connected earnings were disclosed and whether the posts amount to conduct unbecoming of a police officer. Battino, who joined the department in April 2025 after working as an FDNY EMT, reportedly removed or locked down the account once screenshots began circulating among officers. The episode lands as the department continues wrestling with viral social media controversies and questions about how background checks catch—or miss—side activities that later erupt in public view.
Accounts shared inside precinct chats show images that coworkers said came from an OnlyFans page operated under a pseudonym. Some officers told reporters they were “disgusted” and argued the material crossed professional lines for members of a paramilitary agency that emphasizes discipline and public trust. Others countered that the content, while explicit, appears to have been produced off-duty and outside city facilities, and that private life should remain private unless an officer breaks a law or uses official insignia. A department spokesperson said only that the matter is “under internal review.” The president of the city’s largest police union noted that officers are subject to strict rules but added that any discipline should be grounded in policy, not outrage.
Investigators are focusing on several questions. First, whether Battino earned money through the site and, if so, whether she disclosed outside income as required under city rules. Second, whether any of the images show prohibited use of police property, insignia or locations. Third, whether the material and its circulation inside the department undermine the officer’s effectiveness or violate catchall standards on conduct unbecoming. Because Battino is a probationary officer—commonly called a “probie”—the department has broad discretion to terminate employment without a formal trial process if leadership believes cause exists. Officials have not announced any suspension, desk duty assignment or modified tour related to the review.
People who know the officer said she previously worked emergency medical shifts with the Fire Department before entering the NYPD academy. Records show most new officers spend their first assignments answering 911 calls, patrolling sector cars and handling low-level crime and quality-of-life complaints. At the 110th Precinct, which covers Elmhurst and Corona, rookies often rotate between foot posts, transit details and late tours in busy corridors around Roosevelt Ave. Colleagues said internal attention grew rapidly after screenshots appeared in group chats, with supervisors fielding questions about what the department would do and how officers should handle any public comments.
Debate over boundaries for uniformed personnel online is not new. In recent years, departments in New York and elsewhere have disciplined members for posting inflammatory views, flashing badges in personal videos, or appearing in uniformed skits and music videos without authorization. In one high-profile New York case last year, a detective drew internal scrutiny after being recognized in a provocative performance outside work. Elsewhere, agencies have fired or suspended officers who made adult-content videos while wearing parts of their uniforms or using official equipment. Advocates for tighter rules say the images erode the stature of the badge; civil libertarians argue that broad “unbecoming” clauses invite arbitrary enforcement.
The legal framework in New York gives police leaders wide latitude to regulate members’ conduct, particularly during probation. The Patrol Guide prohibits officers from engaging in conduct that brings discredit to the department and requires permission to hold outside employment. City ethics rules also require disclosure of paid side work and bar certain conflicts. None of those standards, however, precisely define off-duty adult content that avoids police imagery. That gray area, labor attorneys say, often leads to negotiated outcomes: written reprimands, unpaid suspensions, or dismissals in probationary cases. If Internal Affairs seeks to examine electronic devices or financial records, investigators would typically secure consent or administrative orders tailored to employment reviews rather than criminal probes.
For now, officials have not said whether any member of the public complained or whether the controversy is contained within the department. People briefed on the situation said the account existed before Battino joined the force and appeared to continue afterward under aliases. Colleagues who favor discipline argue that the continuation after hiring is key, saying recruits are warned during the academy to scrub and lock down online profiles that could compromise credibility in court or damage relationships with victims and witnesses. Supporters say the officer did not identify herself as NYPD and that singling out a young female cop for behavior common on subscription platforms reflects a double standard.
The 110th Precinct sits in one of Queens’ densest neighborhoods, where officers handle everything from traffic collisions to major-crime responses. On Saturday, reporters gathered outside the stationhouse seeking comment as cars cycled through the narrow rear lot. The department did not make Battino available for an interview. A precinct supervisor pointed inquiries to One Police Plaza, which handles Internal Affairs questions centrally. Several officers exiting the building declined to comment, while another said, “This department has rules. We all know that,” before stepping into a radio car.
Complicating matters is the credibility component. Defense attorneys routinely scour officers’ social media for material to impeach them on the stand. Prosecutors also maintain so-called “Giglio” lists of officers whose credibility may be challenged due to findings of dishonesty or other issues. While consensual adult content is not a crime, departmental findings that an officer flouted rules—or lied about doing so—can ripple through future prosecutions. Supervisors weigh those risks when deciding whether to retain a probationary officer at a busy command with constant court appearances.
The episode has fed a broader conversation about pay and secondary income. Starting salary for NYPD recruits is modest compared with regional departments, and many officers take approved side jobs in construction, retail security and special events. The rise of subscription platforms has created new gray areas that were not contemplated when many policies were written. Union officials say clearer guidance would help members avoid missteps while preserving legitimate privacy rights off-duty. Women in law enforcement groups, meanwhile, warned against harassment and nonconsensual sharing of intimate images, saying the recirculation of screenshots inside workplaces can itself create hostile environments.
Department leaders are expected to review preliminary findings early this week. Outcomes range from no action to counseling, written reprimands, a period of modified duty, suspension or dismissal. If leadership opts for termination during probation, the move can be immediate. If the case proceeds further, the officer could face departmental charges and specifications, triggering an administrative trial and potential penalties short of firing. Any determination about outside income could also implicate city ethics filings, which carry their own administrative consequences.
Late Saturday, the NYPD reiterated that the matter remains “under review” and declined to discuss specifics about the officer’s status, assignment or tour. No timetable has been announced for a final decision. For now, the case stands as the city’s latest test of how a 21st-century police force sets expectations for life online—especially for new officers still earning their place behind a shield.
Author note: Last updated January 10, 2026.