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Police lip-sync battles put some funk into law enforcement

Here're some of the finest entries from our nation's finest.

Amanda Kooser
Freelance writer Amanda C. Kooser covers gadgets and tech news with a twist for CNET. When not wallowing in weird gear and iPad apps for cats, she can be found tinkering with her 1956 DeSoto.
Amanda Kooser
2 min read
coprock2

The Monroe Police and Fire Departments get down to Uptown Funk.

Video screenshot by Amanda Kooser/CNET

Remember Cop Rock? It's happening for real.

I can't even keep track of how many different police departments across the US have crafted entertaining entries for a viral lip-sync challenge that has cops dancing and singing to catchy tunes while in full uniform.

The officers have briefly turned their attention from laying down the law to laying down some smooth dance moves to hit songs like Uptown Funk, Wannabe and Can't Stop the Feeling. Each department then challenges one or more other law enforcement groups to make their own lip-sync videos.

We've collected some of the best and weirdest videos that're racking up millions of views on Facebook. 

The City of Monroe Police Department in Georgia says it offers its version of Uptown Funk "in continuation with tradition surrounding public safety interactive video challenges across the nation." This one features some high production values.

The Arlington Police Department in Texas kicks its entry off with a visit to a doughnut shop before ripping into a spirited rendition of the Spice Girls' Wannabe. And the doughnuts don't end there. 

It seems Bruno Mars' Uptown Funk is a popular choice among cops. The Norfolk Police Department in Virginia turned out its own version, complete with a "horn section" that uses mini orange traffic cones for the instruments. The officers wanted everyone to know they got the whole video down in just one take.

The Wichita Falls Police Department in Kansas tackled Justin Timberlake's Can't Stop the Feeling. You can compare it to the Oklahoma City Police Department's version, too.

The award for most-bizarre video goes to the Fort Worth Police Department in Texas, where one officer tackles multiple roles in a rollicking lip-sync take on Alanis Morissette's Ironic.

I know what you're thinking. What about What a Feeling from Flashdance? The Grapevine Police in Texas have you covered, complete with a slow-motion water scene. Stick around for the entire '80s movie songs medley.

While the police lip-sync challenge has reached viral levels in recent days, it's not a new phenomenon. 

Police departments went through a similar phase in 2016, which spawned an ambitious response video from the Dakota County Sheriff's Office in Minnesota. This one has it all: McGruff the Crime Dog, an Elvis-impersonating county attorney and a courtroom dance-off.

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