(Image source from: Twitter)

The Nassau County Police Department, a suburban County in New York, on Monday, said it is scrapping codes in an internal spreadsheet that denoted Asian personnel with the letter "Y," apparently for "yellow."

The notations are being changed instantly, said authorities, and the designation the department had used for Native Americans or American Indians: "I," for Indian.

The notations were unearthed by the New York Liberties Union through public-records requests for data and policies from various police departments around the state.

"These derogatory designations don't only represent slurs against members of the department, they also raise questions about the way the police department thinks about Asian-Americans and the communities they are sworn to protect," NYCLU lead policy counsel Michael Sisitzky said in a statement.

Nassau County Police Detective Lt. Richard LeBrun said the personnel spreadsheet system was over 25 years old, and "in no way has the use of these letters reflected any bias toward our Asian American or Native American residents."

"The Nassau County Police Department strives to protect all of its residents, regardless of race, color, gender, and religion," he said in a statement.

LeBrun said the department would review all of the data the NYCLU brought to light and examine the group's recommendations.

By Sowmya Sangam