Philly Police Officer Has Secret Thug Rapper Past

The Philadelphia Daily News reports that one of the city's new police recruits is under investigation for his gangsta rap past.

The officer in question, Robert Acevedo Jr., joined the Philadelphia police department in 2010, following the footsteps of his father, who is now retired. However, it appears the Philly police failed to do thorough background check on the young cop, who, previous to joining the department had a career as a gangsta rapper under the name Young Reek.

As Young Reek, Acevedo appeared in a music video for his song 'Top Gunnaz' with cohorts Bloodsport and Tone Trump, one of whom brandishes a prescription pill bottle and a bag of what appears to be marijuana, while a shirtless Acevedo mimics smoking weed, and rhymes "A top gunner, flyer than Tom Cruise, I pop dudes/ Rockin' 'em, knockin' 'em out they shoes/ They baggin' 'em givin' 'em six like Action News."

Though the Department obviously was not aware of Acevedo's hustler's ambition, it is not as if he was exactly under the radar; In 2009 Young Reek was named Best Latin Artist at the Philly Hip-Hop Awards, and his videos are easily searchable on YouTube (though his most popular video was taken down when the Philadelphia Daily News reported about it).

Worse, Acevedo has a history of trouble with the Philadelphia police. In 2008 he won an out-of-court settlement with the Philly police department for police brutality, after an incident that occurred in the 24th District, when he and a a nine-month pregnant woman, were allegedly beaten for criticizing the "mistreatment of others by the defendant officers." As a member of the 25th District, Acevedo now shares headquarters with the branch he filed suit against.

Former Philadelphia Police Commissioner John Timoney commented on the situation, saying that "being litigious" doesn't bar an applicant from becoming a police officer. "You may have a conflict of conscience but not a conflict of interest here," Timoney explained. "I don't know how it didn't come up in background check, but even if it did, the issues that disqualify you are drug testing and prior contact with the justice system. Being litigious won't disqualify you."

Acevedo's mother says he will not make comment until he hires an attorney.