Life can be really rough, and it’s been rough for a lot of Americans in the past several weeks. First Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, and we were all still watching the devastation unfold there when Hurricane Irma came along threatening basically the entire state of Florida. Back to back big, scary, destructive hurricanes. The country watched as things unfolded in Florida as well.
And then we saw it. Something started popping up on newsfeeds all across the country, and it spread like wildfire. The hot cops were taking over Facebook.
Here’s why the hot cop posts are the best thing that’s happened on social media this year:
For quite some time we’ve lived as a country divided — be it politics, social issues, education, or how you parent — it seems that someone is always against someone else. We are living in a world where social media dominates, and these days it seems that what is dominating is the negativity. The posts hating someone or something became the ones that everyone saw. The constant fighting over the internet is, dare I speak for everyone, getting so old. So when I saw multiple friends sharing the hot cop post I had to check it out. Let me just say — it was worth my time.
I wouldn’t have thought anything of their original post, but the comments of the women who did were amazing. They provided much entertainment. Once the Gainesville PD post went viral, the material just got better and better. Everything they posted became part of the joke or people on Facebook made it that way. With comments on posts such as “I’m liking police departments in states I don’t even live in!,” people from all over the country had bought in.
Then it grew when other police departments started joining in on the fun.
Other police department social media accounts were posting pictures of their own hot cops. Gainesville PD said they were going to make a calendar to raise money for hurricane relief. Our own Knoxville Police Department upped the ante by posting a picture of Knoxville hot cops plus a police dog and asked for everyone commenting on all of these pictures to also make a donation for hurricane relief and recovery.
Other PDs posted funny pictures; Loudon PD did this one which had me laughing hard.
Lincoln PD did this.
Why does all of this matter?
Let me tell you. Not only did it provide entertainment and some comedic relief during a horrible time for the people of Florida, but it also reminded us all that we may just have more in common than not. We can all appreciate fun, a good joke, and supporting those in our country who need help. The best thing to come out of the hot cops post is raising awareness and money for hurricane relief and recovery. Police departments across the country have asked their followers to donate. Millions of people donating makes a big difference, and in a time where most of us would have moved on rather quickly {sorry Florida and Texas that we have such short attention spans}, we’re still hanging around laughing and hopefully donating in a tangible way that could actually make a difference.
