This Kansas police department’s entry into the lip sync challenge is positively bananas
We have to admit – sometimes we get a little bored by all the dance and other video challenges out there. But every now and then one is done SO well that it still makes us crack a smile.
A 2018 Lip Sync Challenge entry by Kansas’ Overland Park Police Department had us actually laughing out loud – and it’s well worth a watch.
The police lip sync challenge got started that same year when Deputy Alexander Mena from the Bexar County, Texas Sherriff’s Office went viral with his performance of “Fuiste Mala” by the Kumbia Kings on June 19, which quickly got over 1 million views.
“We wanted some positive stuff to come to the sheriff’s office. With some of the things that happen in law enforcement and with the media … we wanted something more positive and for the community and our deputies to kind of connect together. … I did not think that it was going to blow up the way that it did,” Mena told ABC News.
But boy did it blow up! Soon, nearly every officer with a sense of humor in the state of Texas was taking part in the challenge.
By later in the summer, officers (and entire units) from all over the U.S. were participating and challenging one another.
Maybe it’s no surprise that when the challenge came to Overland Park, it was Officer John Lacy who ran with it. He’s the department’s Public Information Officer (PIO) and often liaises with the community and media (including using social media).
While Lacy is the star of the show, he managed to get other officers, city workers, and citizens involved – even the mayor made a cameo!
The song? Harry Belafonte’s “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song).”
While it’s a traditional Jamaican folk song, Belafonte’s version is by far the most recognizable – and many people associate it with the Tim Burton film Beetlejuice.
And just like in the film, Officer Lacy seems to be taken over by a spirit as he belts out “Day-o, da-a-ay-o…”
His colleague looks at him with confusion from across the room, but soon he’s off to spread the joy. He walks into a meeting where his colleagues are quick to throw their work up in the air and join in the fun.
He’s not able to convince every officer to join in, but most are happy to dance off with him.
Lacy then interrupts some meetings at the mayor’s office before jumping in his car for a solo and a trip around town.
He hits up the public pool, visits an officer from the motorcycle unit, and then heads back to the station to see if he can get some detectives on the job.
And a few do poke their heads out to join him!
A city work crew is next on the docket as he leads them in a round of the song and shows off even more of his dance skills.
If you’re not smiling by now, then you’re a pretty tough customer.
Then there’s a stop at The Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead before it’s back to the parking lot with a variety of officers – and Lacy has found some scuba gear to keep things interesting.
When CBS took advantage of the online phenomenon and turned it into a TV show where people could vote on the “winner” via a bracket challenge, sadly Overland Park didn’t make the cut (the winner was the Norfolk Police Department).
But this video certainly our favorite entry!
Be sure to scroll down below to see the video – this is one you won’t be sorry you watched.
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