A new video showing the history of cops and donuts is sparking debate as to whether it’s merely poking fun at officers or showing disrespect. NBC10’s Tim Furlong has the details.
You've probably joked about cops and doughnuts before, most people have.
The Wilmington Police Department acknowledges the relationship and takes a stab at explaining where the connection between cops and doughnuts came from in a funny YouTube video. In the clip, Cpl. Mark Ivey says before there were 24-hour convenience stores, most businesses were closed overnight. Yet, it was the doughnut shops that were open and uniform police officers could enter.
"Cops still enjoy doughnuts as much as the next person," said Ivey.
Some shops provide police officers with free drinks and doughnuts to welcome the officers. Their presence offers a sense of security. The department video has more than 1,300 views in 5 days on YouTube.
Yet while the video was meant to merely poke fun, not everyone is appreciating the humor.
"Some officers were concerned that people wouldn't take us seriously and we'd look like keystone cops who aren't taking our jobs seriously by creating a video like this," Ivey said.
While both the police chief and mayor liked the video, some found the video inappropriate, especially during a time in which Wilmington is dealing with a tremendous amount of violence. Ivey insists however that the video is part of the solution and a creative way to strengthen the department's relationship with the community.
"By showing that you can poke fun at yourself, that you can laugh at yourself and that you are just an everyday citizen going out there and doing a difficult job and that you need their help, that's how you can solve this problem, " he said.
The mayor of Wilmington recently announced a plan to "flood" crime prone areas with police officers in order to ensure that there are more officers than criminals. Ivey and others are hoping that the new strategy combined with the self-deprecating video will help make the Wilmington streets a lot safer.
