These police lip sync challenges should be arrested... for breaking the internet. Dancing police officers have taken over social media. In June and July, hundreds of police departments throughout the country have participated in the lip sync challenge by releasing music videos. Using the hashtags "lipsyncchallenge" and "lipsyncbattle," police, sheriff departments and other first responders have challenged each other to pick a song (from "Hello" by Adele to "Downtown" by Macklemore) and sing along. The trend might just be a publicity stunt, but some of the videos are really well-produced and feature drones, choreography, costumes and exclusive locations. The officers poke fun of themselves by eating doughnuts, drinking coffee and showing off trending dance moves, like the floss dance. When did it start? The challenge kicked off when Deputy Alexander Mena from Bexar County, Texas Sheriff’s Office recorded himself lip syncing “Fuiste Mala” by Kumbia Kings and sent the clip to his sergeant, according to local TV station KENS 5. The sheriff’s office posted his video on its Facebook page on June 19. It immediately went viral and has been viewed more than 1.5 million times. His video sparked dozens more videos created by Texas police departments. Then, the trend made its way outside the state to departments around the country. Mena said he hopes the lip sync videos help the public see a lighter side to law enforcement and encourage more people to consider joining departments. “At the end of the day, you still need to have a good vibe and maintain a positive attitude in this career,” Mena told KENS 5. Here are some of the most popular and creative videos (in chronological order): Song: “Flashdance… What a Feeling” by Irene Cara, “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins, “Time of My Life” by Dirty Dancing Release date: July 3 Song: “Wannabe” by Spice Girls Release date: July 6 After they were challenged by another Texas police department (you can watch the Irving Police Department’s video here), the Arlington Police Department took over a Dunkin' Donuts and showed of their dance moves to a Spice Girls classic. The stars of the video were Sergeant Karen Standback and rookie officer Elizabeth Duong. "I didn't even know [Standback] could dance until yesterday when we were practicing. I was like, 'Oh my gosh, sarge has got some moves,'" Duong said in an interview with WFAA. They hope the video helps them better connect with the community. "I really hope that it shows that we really are human. We're just like everyone else. We can be serious when we need to, but at times, we know how to have fun," Standback said. Song: “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars Release date: July 9 The Norfolk Police Department's video is one of the most popular lip sync challenges. It has more than 70 million views on Facebook. They were challenged by a Texas police department. “We’re just building relationships, and I think it’s very important for people to see that they can have a conversation with us,” said Officer Christopher Taveras, who was chosen to be the lead singer because he somewhat resembles Bruno Mars. The Norfolk police then challenged a Virginia Beach department, which released their video a week later. Song: Medley of “Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson, “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars, “What is Love” by Haddaway, “Regulate” by Warren G ft. Nate Dogg, “God Blessed Texas” by Little Texas Release date: July 12 Song: "Havana" by Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug Release date: July 13 The video by the Cleveland Police Department in Tennessee is reminiscent of an actual pop music video. Officers wearing dark sunglasses lounge by a backyard pool and "make it rain." It's been viewed on YouTube more than 500,000 times. Song: “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” by Justin Timberlake Release date: July 17 The video starts with an officer telling the Chief they've been nominated to participate in the lip sync challenge. "We're gonna be a part of this?" says the Chief as he accepts the challenge. Officers dance at a Chick-fil-A, BB&T Ball Park, in a gym and at the station. Song: “We are the World” by USA for Africa Release date: July 19 The Barberton Police Department turned the challenge into an opportunity to make a difference in their community. The video asks viewers to donate money to build a community center. The center’s goal is to help at-risk youth and their families through mentoring, free access to computers and tutoring. Song: “Summertime” by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince Release date: July 23 Song: “Hello” by Adele Release date: July 24 The Ponca City Police Department took the doughnut-eating stereotype to a new level. As Adele sings "Hello," two officers in a squad car pull up to a doughnut shop. But a "closed" sign hangs in the window. One doughnut can be seen through the window. A dozen officers then show up outside and dramatically look into the store. The video then cuts to a "flashback" in black-and-white showing the officers eating doughnuts and enjoying themselves inside. Song: “Downtown” by Macklemore<doc-sep>This month, police officers in Norfolk, Va., released a video of themselves shimmying down a corridor and pumping their fists in the air, lip-syncing to Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’s “Uptown Funk.” The video was a viral hit, viewed more than 70 million times on Facebook. It is one of the most popular entries in a lip-sync challenge initiated by police departments nationwide. The videos have come as police departments increasingly use social media to step up their public relations efforts and try to repair their image after years of anger and protests over police brutality and fatal shootings of black people by officers. “It is allowing the country to see us in another way,” said Corporal William Pickering, a public information officer with the Norfolk Police Department, which created the “Uptown Funk” video. “We aren’t all robots.”<doc-sep>Seattle Police dropped their music video for the lip sync challenge spreading across social media. The Seattle Police Department came through on their promise and released their own lip sync video, set to Macklemore's 'Downtown.’ Earlier this month, the department released a teaser video of bloopers after accepting the viral lip sync challenge from the Norfolk Police Department. The department invited community members to join a parade scene for the video recorded at the Belltown Community Center. All SPD officers participating in the video were off the clock except for a few controlling traffic, public information officer Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said. A fire truck came from a nearby station for the shoot and was available to leave on a call if necessary.<doc-sep>
You've seen the videos making their way around social media in recent weeks. Police officers from around the country lip-syncing to the hottest jams in an effort to show a different side of the men and women in blue. From Norfolk, Va. to San Francisco and seemingly everywhere in between, Lip Sync Challenge videos are multiplying by the day. Thursday was East Haven's turn. The video opens with a woman at the front desk of the East Haven police station watching the Caldwell (Idaho) police video as two officers walk in. She says to them, "Wow, these lip sync challenges are really heating up." The two officers reply, "Yeah, that's why we're here. Is the chief in?" They walk into Chief Ed Lennon's office and tell him they have to do the 'Lip Sync Challenge,' because they've been called out, the town wants it and the local paper did a story. Lennon seems fine with the idea, so he asks the two officers for some ideas. The first is 'Christmas Time in East Haven,' made famous by KC101, the Hamden-based radio station. "Absolutely not," Lennon said. The next choice is 'Here I go again' by Whitesnake with the second officers whipping out a pretty sweet air guitar. "You're getting better," Lennon said. "Why don't we just do a dance or something?" the first officers replies as they both break out into the 'Dougie.' Lennon puts his trust in the officers to get the job done and this is what they came up with. The department enlisted the help of a professional videographer and had tons of volunteers and 'extras' to make the video everything it is. The video is anything, but extra. It might just be what we need right now. And now that East Haven has come through with a classic, it has challenged neighbors Branford and North Haven police to come up with their own rendition. And judging by North Haven's enthusiastic use of social media for campaigns like the #9pmRoutine, we can probably expect something pretty fun. Correction: A previous version of this story misnamed the first song chosen in the video as 'Silver Bells.' It has since been corrected.