WASHINGTON — Two days ago, a cellphone video showed a South Carolina police officer body-slamming a high school student in a classroom. A new video shows a dance-off between a D.C. police officer and a local high school pupil.
On Monday, the officer wanted a group to disperse on K Street SW. Another teenager — identified by the Washington Post as 17-year-old Aaliyah Taylor — walked up playing “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” on her phone.
Then, Taylor said, the officer “laughed and said she had far better dance moves than that,” according to reports.
The officer and teenager made it a dance-off. According to Taylor, the officer told the group that if Taylor won, she could stay. If the officer won, the group had to leave.
“I never expected cops to be that cool,” Taylor told the Post. “There are some good cops.”
Police union secretary Marinos Marinos said every day police work to engage with residents.
“It’s definitely a win-win even if it’s not a traditional police tactic,” Marinos said.
In a statement, Police Chief Cathy Lanier said the video “is reflective of the many positive police-community interactions that take place daily” in the city.
“The officer is known for her hard work and dedication to policing,” Lanier said. “She is a great credit to the Metropolitan Police Department.”
Go here to check out the video.
WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report.
