DETROIT - Detroit police are investigating allegations that an on-duty officer had sex in his squad car with a prostitute, officials said Friday.

Details were scarce, but police said internal affairs investigators are looking into the allegations that the officer engaged in sex acts with the prostitute in his police cruiser about two weeks ago while it was parked somewhere in the Northeastern District. The officer is assigned to the department's Western District, police said.

The officer was on duty when other officers approached the car and found him engaged in sexual activity, police said.

"Right now the officer is suspended with pay," said Officer Dan Donakowski, a police department spokesman. "It is under investigation."

The Board of Police Commissioners, which has civilian oversight over officers, is aware of the allegations.

The Rev. Jerome Warfield, the police commission's chairman, said a cop having sex with a prostitute "certainly could lead to termination, if the allegation is true."

Police spokeswoman Sgt. Eren Stephens said Chief Ralph Godbee Jr. will seek to have the officer's pay suspended while the issue is investigated.

Stephens said Godbee would not comment further on the matter. But Godbee told WJBK-TV that he would take quick action.

"Certainly, the allegations relative to the misconduct, even from an administrative standpoint, are troubling enough to where I think we should take very swift action as a police department," Godbee told the station.