Two uniformed NYPD officers assigned to the Bronx's 43rd Precinct are under internal review after a photo surfaced of them making hand gestures that community members and public-safety observers say resemble signs used by the Mac Baller Brims. The image, which began circulating on social media earlier this month, has drawn sharp criticism from rank-and-file officers and local residents who say it chips away at already fragile trust in the department. The NYPD says the matter has been turned over to the Internal Affairs Bureau for review.
The photo was posted to the Instagram account michaelclancy1312 on May 4 and shows two uniformed officers making what observers identified as Mac Baller Brims hand signals, as reported by the New York Post. According to the Post, the officers were assigned to the 43rd Precinct in Soundview, and online records show one of them has since been transferred to the 73rd Precinct in Brownsville, Brooklyn. A law-enforcement source told the Post the picture was taken while the officers were "joking around," but other officers quoted in the story blasted it as "a complete disgrace," the reporting says.
Mac Baller Brims: A Brief History
The Mac Baller Brims are a Bronx-based subset of the Bloods that federal prosecutors have described as a criminal enterprise tied to shootings, robberies and narcotics trafficking. The Southern District of New York has unsealed racketeering and related charges against members and associates in cases alleging a pattern of violent, weapons-related and drug-related offenses. That federal track record is part of what makes the photo so sensitive both for law enforcement and for residents who live in the neighborhoods where the gang operates. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, one indictment included racketeering, narcotics and firearms counts against multiple defendants.
How The Department Is Handling The Probe
The NYPD has told reporters the photo has been referred to the Internal Affairs Bureau for an investigation and a review of whether department rules were violated, according to the New York Post. The Post also reported that one of the officers in the image has been on the force since 2024 and was reassigned while the review proceeds. Officers and community members quoted in the outlet said the photo further eroded public trust and called for full transparency about whatever outcome Internal Affairs reaches.
Broader Context: Recruitment And Community Trust
The controversy comes as the NYPD is in the middle of a major overhaul of its hiring rules, including a move to widen the applicant pool by cutting the college-credit requirement from 60 to 24 credits. City officials and NYPD leadership have framed the shift as a practical response to a recruiting shortfall, while critics argue that bringing in more officers faster should be matched with tougher cultural oversight on and off duty. As detailed by the NYC Mayor's Office, the change is part of a broader effort to modernize how the department recruits and trains new officers.
What happens next rests with Internal Affairs, which will determine whether any discipline is warranted or whether the officers are cleared. For residents of Soundview and elsewhere in the Bronx, the episode underscores ongoing questions about how officers choose to represent themselves and how aggressively the NYPD enforces its own standards. Hoodline will monitor developments and report any official findings or statements as they become available.
