Jack Taschner is an Appleton, Wisconsin police officer, but a few years back he also served as the resource officer at Appleton East High School. And as part of his job of getting to know the students, he made sure to attend every one of their home football and basketball games.

But when he entered the stands at a football game in September of 2017, attendees thought he was there in an official capacity, perhaps to deal with an unruly fan.

And Officer Taschner is familiar with the antics of sports fans – he was a major league pitcher before he became a police officer.

But he wasn’t there to break up the fun that day – in fact, he was there to lead it!

For two years he sat on the sidelines watching Appleton East High School’s iconic “Drive the Bus” cheer which is led by someone pretending to be a bus driver. Those behind him or her swing to the left, right, or backward, depending on which way they’re being “steered.”

Then, one day, he decided to surprise students and fans by getting involved.

Taschner told WBAY TV:

“It just kind of popped in my head, I’d like to join in on them doing their cheer, and whatever they do, the bus driver thing, so I came in Friday morning, I talked to the principals, I said hey, here’s what I thought, I had an idea, and they said, yea, run with it.”

Only school officials and one student knew what the officer had planned.

Braden Hutter was the student who normally led the cheer, so he had to be in on it as well. In fact, he was the “plant” who acted as the rowdy fan that Tascher was coming to deal with.

“I did my best acting to make sure it was going to work out, and everyone thought I was going to get handcuffed or something and it was just fun to have him ask for my ID and he told me to take a seat like I was in trouble but then he took over,” said Hutter, a senior at the time.

But once the officer got into the stands, he began the cheer and the students went along with it immediately, following along by stomping their feet and swaying back and forth.

As for Taschner, it was a pretty athletic endeavor for him – the cheer requires one to dance in place as fast as possible.

“I got into it as much as they did,” Officer Taschner said. “When I realized they were all doing it with me, I wanted to let it go on forever I knew my legs weren’t going to let me,” he told NBC 26.

The video, posted on the Appleton Police Department Facebook page with the caption “NO FUN ZONE?” has been viewed more than 3.4 million times over the last few years.

“I envision it, as an East tradition. Something that, when I’m done being the SRO here, and someone else steps in they have to step in and do it too. It’s just a great way for the students and the officers to have that connection.” said Taschner.

We have no doubt it will be a fond memory for everyone who was there.

Be sure to scroll down below to see the rousing cheer.

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Source: WBAY TV, USA TODAY via YouTube, NBC 26 Green Bay, Appleton Police Department via Facebook