Douglasville Police's 'Running Man' Video Emphasizes Community

DOUGLASVILLE, GA — It's just as silly as all the others. But the "Running Man Challenge" video released Monday by the Douglasville Police Department has a serious message.

"The video ... expresses the chief’s single most important policing method -- to be one with the community which they serve," the department wrote in a Facebook post.

That would be Chief Gary Sparks. In the video, which had been viewed more than 56,000 times by Tuesday morning, Sparks and other officers welcome new recruits to the Douglasville force.

"I hope ... it has been impressed upon you that we are one with our community," he says in the video. "We are to treat everybody the same, from the homeless person on the street, up unto the mayor of this great city."

As Sparks takes the "new recruits" to see other officers on a firing range, "My Boo," by Ghost Town DJ's kicks in and it's all smooth moves from there.

The rest of the video shows Douglasville Police officers dancing -- some better than others -- with members of the community.

Similar to past viral Web dance trends, like the Harlem Shake, the Running Man Challenge started simply and has hit crazy heights of popularity online.

Started by high-school students, it was popularized when a pair of basketball players from University of Maryland made their own video.

Since then, professional athletes, law-enforcement agencies and just about everyone else online have been challenging each other to step in front of the camera and strut their stuff.

Photo via Douglasville Police Department Facebook page