The Danbury Police Department has quietly become the latest viral video star with a lighthearted short film designed to recruit officers.
Produced by the Danbury-based production company RMediA, the video opens with Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton and Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour remarking on their city”™s safety yet bemoaning the need for additional officers. While viewing the department”™s ongoing recruitment effort ”“ a smiling officer holding a “Help Wanted” sign on the street in front of Ridenhour”™s office ”“ the men decide that a recruitment video would be a more effective tool. Boughton also throws in a self-deprecatory reference to his Trumpesque passion for Tweeting to further help spread the word.
From there, the video is hosted by Lt. Vincent Daniello, who played the cop with the “Help Wanted” sign. While explaining how the recruitment process works, Daniello doubles as the least effective rookie and gets into predicaments from locking his keys in his patrol vehicle, failing to hit his target in shooting practice, getting imprisoned in a holding cell by his colleagues and getting caught lounging in Ridenhour”™s office with his feet on the desk.
The 4-minute video was quietly posted on the department”™s YouTube on May 30, and has since reached a combined viewership between YouTube and the department”™s Facebook page of more than 108,000 views ”“ not bad for an unpublicized video for a police force serving a city of less than 80,000.
The department will be accepting applications for new officers through July 31.
