A viral video featuring the New York Police Department dance team drew scrutiny for how the NYPD spends their time.
The clip aired on the NYC news channel PIX11 and featured seven women sporting basketball jerseys emblazoned with the letters NYPD, performing a choreographed routine to the Flo Rida song "Club Can't Handle Me."
But the public couldn't get behind the law enforcement agency busting a move while officers were off duty.
The dance team was formed in 2022. Its president, Autumn-Rain Martinez, said that rehearsing in a studio was “a place to release mental stress.”
According to ABC 7, the team practices two to three times a week, often for two to three hours at a time, after working exhausting shifts.
They perform at schools to promote physical and mental health, and also at galas and competition events with the fire department across the city.
NYPD Dance Team Vice President Lauren Pagan shared with the news station about how much of a stress reliever rehearsing is.
"I'm just answering 911 jobs all day, all day, all day out of roll call until it's time to go home," said Pagan.
"Music is amazing. And when I get to sit here and just listen even if it's the same song over and over, it's a nice place to be. Everybody here loves to dance."
"They love being here."
While the joy of dance is all well and good, the internet couldn't help but ask questions.
@CynicalNYK This is some kind of prank, spoof, or joke, right? \n\nPlease tell me it is, PLEASE!— (@)
@CynicalNYK Wait till you find out that they a have a band, a baseball team, a football team, a hockey team, a rugby team and so so so much more— (@)
The harsh ridicule continued.
@CynicalNYK This looks about as coordinated as one of my grade 9 gym classes when we had to dance. \nThat's saying something. \ud83d\ude2c\ud83d\ude2c\ud83d\ude2c\nWhy??? Are they spending tax $ on this bad "dancing"?\nI've been to Zumba classes that have a better handle on the beat. This is baaaaaaaad.— (@)
There were demands to stop the music.
The viral clip is one of many examples where those working in law enforcement aren't taken seriously after viral videos exposed their bizarre behavior.
Examples of cops getting flak for their foibles include the Boston cop who got injured while going down a kids' slide, and the Florida Deputy who mistook the sound of an acorn hitting his patrol car for a gunshot and subsequently opened fire at the handcuffed suspect sitting in the vehicle.
The news outlet said the NYPD has about four dozen competitive groups beyond football and boxing that include a chess club and even a knitting club.
When asked why the NYPD would have a dance team, Martinez replied:
"Why not a dance team? We have a dance team because the mental health kind of takes a toll while doing this job."
"So, we just wanted to have an outlet to allow people to express themselves creatively."
The dance team comprises some who've danced competitively before and others with zero experience or skills.
Some members were complete strangers before joining the team.
The combination of performers with varying experiences is viewed as a valuable lesson in teamwork that can be applied when duty calls.
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