A music video with Eyota, Minn., standing in for Chicago and Olmsted County Sheriff Kevin Torgerson subbing for Hollywood star Matthew Broderick?
Yeah, it works.
Torgerson and the rest of the sheriff's office jumped into the Lip Sync Challenge this week, shaking their uniformed booties to the Beatles' "Twist and Shout" as they re-created the classic parade scene from the 1986 movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off."
The challenge has been swirling around the internet, as law enforcement agencies across the nation have racked up millions of page views with their sometimes goofy, sometimes polished lip-synced renditions of popular songs.
The goal, said Olmsted Chief Deputy Terry Waletzki, is to humanize law enforcement in a time of heightened tension between police agencies and the communities they serve.
"This gets us out and puts us in a different light," Waletzki said Wednesday. "People appreciate it. It's great to see us out there doing this and not what you see on TV."
The video was shot Saturday at a community festival in Eyota, a city of 2,000 residents, with locals dancing in the streets as extras. Since its posting on the department's Facebook page Sunday night, the video has garnered nearly 200,000 views and more than 300 comments.
"The sheriff has some hips on him," said Kris Tri. "This is the best!"
You can check out the original movie scene and see how well it tracks with the sheriff's video.
John Reinan • 612-673-7402
