New York (AP) - While New York law enforcement continues its search for Magneto, an increasing number of New Yorkers are voicing their displeasure about the presence of a mutant in the NYPD.

Detective Jose Casteneda, a member of the NYPD's elite Mutant Affairs squad and himself a registered mutant, exploded to the public's attention when he was involved in an altercation with then-pardoned Erik Lensherr. The detective and other uniformed officers battled Lensherr outside the 19th precinct in the Upper East Side, resulting in significant property damage throughout the block. As a result of the incident, warrants have been issued for Lensherr's arrest on criminal charges. Several weeks later, nearly 3000 letters of complaint have been sent to the New York City mayor and District Attorney's office, sources revealed Thursday, while a near-permanent and growing group of protesters have taken up residence on the corner across the destroyed 19th Precinct in the Upper East Side.

"The majority of the letters have called for the detective's dismissal from the police force, while a significant proportion of them have also demanded that charges be filed against the detective for endangering the public," said Myers Pel of the District Attorney's office. "Our office is currently reviewing the case to see if such charges have merit." Mr. Pel went on to add that human resources decision within the NYPD were under the jurisdiction of One Police Plaza.

Detective Casteneda, whose mutant abilities allow him to aim and discharge lethal bolts of energy, is the first registered mutant to be accepted into the Mutant Affairs department. His assignment into the department was part of an NYPD effort to improve mutant trust in the Mutant Affairs department, which has suffered in recent months due to the publicity surrounding the Sentinel armor. Ironically, a significant proportion of the letters received by the District Attorney's office have been penned by mutants.

"At best he's a danger to his fellow officers. At worst, he's a danger to all mutant citizens," said Curtis Sheve of Citizens for Mutant Equality, a grassroots organization whose stated goal is to give mutants the same rights as non-mutants in the workplace. "The last thing the mutant community needs right now is someone who's going around recklessly blowing things up and abuses his powers under the cloak of authority. If the NYPD were interested in community outreach and bringing on a token member, there are plenty of better representatives of the mutant community they could have taken on board. [Detective Casteneda] is the sort of person that terrifies millions and makes life harder for the thousands whose only 'power' is that they own an ID card with an X on it."

Disquiet is not isolated to the public at large. Anonymous sources within the AFL-CIO have indicated that there is a fierce debate underway about the future of mutant members within the organization, and whether the organization charter should or should not be extended to protect those members who have tested positive for the X-Factor. At present, employment is not protected for mutants under either state or federal constitutions, and it is debatable whether the Police union would be willing to represent NYPD mutants who choose to challenge dismissal. Recent cases such as that of Det. Lazzaro and Det. Cassidy, in which decorated detectives took early retirement or were terminated upon discovery of their mutant status, have so far gone unchallenged.

Spokespersons for the Mutant Affairs division stated that Detective Casteneda's actions in the recent incident were under investigation, and that his membership in the squad, as with all members, was under regular review.