NEW YORK — The city’s Department of Investigation has launched a probe into accusations that top NYPD officials flouted local laws by thumbing out what have been criticized as politically charged social media posts, a spokeswoman for the watchdog agency told the New York Daily News on Wednesday.

The spokeswoman, Diane Struzzi, said the inquiry’s being launched in response to investigation requests from Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and the Legal Aid Society.

“In light of the requests, DOI has begun an investigation of the relevant social media use and exchanges, as well as applicable city policies,” Struzzi said.

The NYPD press office didn’t return requests for comment. But a spokeswoman for Mayor Adams, who has defended police brass amid the social media controversy, said DOI’s probe should also scrutinize some of the politicians targeted by the NYPD officials online.

“It is clear that a small number of advocates and Council members — who have gone unchallenged in using their social media to make disparaging comments against the hardworking public servants of our city — only support speech that is politically convenient for them,” said spokeswoman Kayla Mamelak. “We hope this DOI review includes the unprofessional actions of the small number of Council members who have engaged in this behavior.”

The request from Speaker Adams, submitted with DOI’s inspector general for the NYPD on Friday, referenced recent posts on X from NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell, Deputy Commissioner for Operations Kaz Daughtry and other department brass that she alleged violated “city laws that prohibit the use of city resources for political purposes.”

The posts in question include Chell dispatches from his official department X account in which he blasted progressive Queens Councilwoman Tiffany Caban’s political views as “garbage” and urged his followers to “vote the change you seek” if they dislike her, too.

Legal Aid’s request for DOI intervention called the social media activities from the police officials “a clear abuse of the NYPD’s authority.”

City ethics law bars police officials from using city resources, such as department social media accounts, for blatantly political purposes. The NYPD’s patrol guide prohibits police employees from engaging in political activities while in official capacity.

In addition to the requests for DOI involvement, dozens of local elected officials, including members of New York’s congressional delegation, sent a letter to Mayor Adams last week demanding that he reprimand Chell for his recent social media posts.

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