The lip-syncing Bartlett police, and Lake County deputies on Lifetime's 'Women on Patrol'
The latest police videos going viral have nothing to do with a controversial arrest, high-speed chase or out-of-control citizen.
These videos - dozens of them popping up online from departments like those in New York City, Fort Worth, Texas, and Anchorage, Alaska - feature cops singing. Sort of.
And now the Police Lip Sync Challenge has made its way to the suburbs, and the Bartlett Police Department is leading the way with its hilarious rendition of the Guns N' Roses tune "Sweet Child o' Mine" as it was performed in the movie comedy "Step Brothers."
The video features five officers rolling through town in a police SUV while lip-syncing an a cappella version of the hard rock classic. Sprinkled in is some dialogue from the film and a quick break to listen to a dispatcher call. There's also an "Easter egg" of sorts - one officer holds a coffee mug featuring "Step Brothers" stars Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly.
The video was posted Monday on the village's Facebook page and via Twitter. Within about 24 hours, it had nearly 100,000 views and 1,200 "likes."
"We were just overwhelmed by the response," Deputy Police Chief Geoffrey Pretkelis said. "We had a lot of fun filming it, and we're glad we were able to bring smiles to people's faces."
How it happened
The challenge began weeks ago among police departments in Texas, and since then it has spread across the nation. It came to Bartlett's attention around the Fourth of July holiday, when the department posted its support for the #Flex4Forces campaign. Someone responded with a suggestion they check out the Police Lip Sync Challenge, Pretkelis said.
Officers set out to do a video of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Wayne's World"-style, only to learn they were beaten to the punch by the Chicago Police Department. So they shifted gears to the "Step Brothers" version of the Guns N' Roses hit. It was perfect because it's short, funny and involves no dancing, Pretkelis said.
The video was shot with iPhones, and Bartlett High School students pitched in to edit the footage.
"It's been a really great way for us to reach out to the community and show our personalities," Pretkelis said.
Who's next?
Because it's a Lip Sync Challenge, the Bartlett cops' task would not be complete unless they called out some of their suburban colleagues. So in their post Monday, Bartlett cops issued challenges for the Elgin and Hanover Park police departments to follow suit.
Elgin police spokeswoman Kristie Hilton said Wednesday they're formulating a response.
"It's a hot topic around here," she said.
Schaumburg police also may get in on the action. Sgt. Christy Lindhurst said she couldn't officially confirm or deny a video was in the works, but she admitted it's been discussed.
To check out some videos from across the country, visit the Police Lip Sync Challenge Facebook page, facebook.com/PoliceLipSync.
Star turn
It seems every successful TV show eventually gets a spinoff, and "Live PD" - the A&E Network's reality show following law enforcement in action across the country - is no different.
Sticking to a proven formula, producers of the new "Women on Patrol" have chosen members of the Lake County sheriff's office to follow for the Lifetime network series. That's no surprise to us, given that sheriff's deputies - particularly Detective Rebecca Loeb - were among the breakout stars of "Live PD."
Loeb will be joined on the new show by deputies Amanda Hurtado and Roxana Stancioiu, and other female law enforcement officers across the country. Filming began this week.
"I am very excited to again have the Lake County sheriff's office featured on a national television program," Sheriff Mark Curran said in an announcement of the TV appearances. "'LivePD' was a great success in giving the community an inside look at the Lake County sheriff's office, and this is another opportunity to do the same."
"Women on Patrol" airs at 8 p.m. Mondays on Lifetime.
Protect your package
Naperville has been plagued by a package thief.
Police said Thursday they suspect a tall, thin man, 25 to 35 years old, has been taking stuff off people's porches along South Columbia and South Charles streets, in the midmorning and early afternoon hours. They suspect he may even be following a delivery driver.
To avoid falling prey, police say you should have packages delivered to your workplace or a neighbor who is home during the day, require a signature for all package deliveries, or have packages delivered to a place where you can pick them up, such as a UPS location, post office or Amazon locker.
Maybe it's just Susan, but she doesn't see an option on her favorite shopping sites to request a signature. And while Elston, her Amazon locker, is just a mile away, well, isn't avoiding having to put on shoes and leave house the point of online shopping?
And yes, Amazon named the locker Elston.
High marks
The Kane County Juvenile Justice Center recently got some good news: It scored high marks on a state inspection conducted last fall by the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice.
The inspector described the detainees' recreational schedule as "rigorous" and said there were many programs available aside from normal schoolwork.
The only dings were that minors were not always released from custody after 40 hours with an initial appearance before a judge, that the showers at the 20-year-old facility were only in "fair" condition, and the cleanliness of floors in food preparation, storage and service areas was "fair."
Positive inspections weren't always the case for the facility, which in 2011 was sharply criticized by the state for, among other things, allowing young detainees to wear only their underwear when in their rooms. Officials dropped the practice shortly after the report, which said it "tests the boundaries of corporal punishment."
• Got a tip or thoughts on a cops and crime-related issue to share? Send an email to copsandcrime@dailyherald.com.