The Irvington and Jersey City police departments take on the Running Man challenge, so communities can see they are regular people, too. Watch video
Irvington Mayor Tony Vauss didn't know anything about a worldwide dance trend that has gone viral on the Internet.
He kept reading posts on his Facebook page last month from people asking if Irvington was going to get involved in the "Running Man Challenge.''
"What the heck is the Running Man Challenge?'' he asked, laughing. "What are they talking about?''
Once he did a YouTube check, there it was. Police officers from around the globe were dancing, letting their hair down and having fun with residents.
They were doing their own versions of the running man to the 1995 hit song, "My Boo,'' by Ghost Town DJ's. The trend was started earlier this year by two Hillside High School students - Kevin Vincent and Jeremiah Hall - and made popular by three University of Maryland basketball players.
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Well, add Irvington and Jersey City police to the list of Running Man Challenge dancers.
The Jersey City department created its video a week or two before Irvington officers, which makes them the only two known law enforcement communities in New Jersey unabashed about shaking a leg.
"It gives the public the opportunity to share and interact with law enforcement, and you get to see the lighter side of law enforcement instead of all of the confrontational part,'' Vauss said.
Irvington took full advantage of the opportunity. Vauss wrote and directed the video, which is sure to make you laugh.
The country, more than anything right now, needs moments like this.
Tension has erupted between police and communities after black men were fatally shot by officers in Louisiana and Minnesota. Within days of their deaths, two black men seeking revenge killed five Dallas police officers and three officers in Baton Rouge.
"We wanted to show the unity that we have here in the township,'' Vauss said.
Man, did they ever. And so did Jersey City.
Each town's video has plots, dialogue and, most of all, big fun.
Every township department in Irvington was involved. The production, which has 16,000 views on YouTube, shows Vauss going through town hall and questioning everyone from a young woman sitting at a desk to a group of police officers to folks in municipal court about the challenge. They play dumb, but after he leaves the room, all of them break out in dance.
"I've been here 26 years and we never had a collaborative effort like that,'' said Police Director Tracy Bowers. "You could see the excitement on the employees faces. Everyone was into it.''
Scenes were shot in different areas of the municipality, including the football field, where officers, firefighters and high school students danced together.
For 18-year-old Giovana Burgess-Humes, the mayor's inclusion of young people illustrates how Irvington wants to build a relationship with her generation. Government and the police department, she said, are not as intimidating as some may think.
"We took the time out to embrace each other,'' said Burgess, who sings in the video. "We're just so caught up in our struggles and what we're going through that we don't always take the time out to breathe.''
In Jersey City, the municipality wasted no time showing off the ethnic diversity throughout each ward. Officers danced with women in India Square and jumped rope with the Honey Bees, a double-dutch team.
Takeria Clark, founder of the jump rope squad, said a greater rapport with police officers has come about after the kids were in the video.
"They know some of the police officers by name and by sight now. Some of them say 'Thank you for your service,' '' Clark said. "It was amazing.''
The payoff for Jersey City officer Matthew Ramos happened as the video was being filmed. He said a little girl - maybe 7 years old - was "standoff-ish'' and didn't think cops were "good guys,'' from a conversation he had with the girl's mother.
After he started dancing with her younger sister, Ramos said the big sister came around and joined in.
"That's my favorite part,''' Ramos said. "That alone was worth being in the video.''
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During the filming, residents stopped to record the scene with their phones and applaud the officers. On YouTube, 52,000 people have viewed the video, which shows officers looking for the running man. But while on assignment, they start dancing.
"This was an opportunity for the community to see a different side of police, to see that they have fun, even embarrass themselves with dancing, and really enjoying the people they work with,'' said Jennifer Morrill, the city's press secretary.
At the end of the video, Jersey City officers challenge Newark, the Hudson County Sheriff Department, the Port Authority Police and their canine unit to join the craze.
Vauss was a little more dramatic, dropping a bullhorn - mimicking an artist dropping the microphone after a performance - when he called out East Orange, Orange and Newark.
East Orange is up for the challenge.
"Look out for our video to have some special EO flavor,'' said Connie Jackson, the city's public information officer.
That leaves Orange and Newark.
What-cha gonna do?
Barry Carter: (973) 836-4925 or bcarter@starledger.com or nj.com/carter or follow him on Twitter @BarryCarterSL