St. Augustine Community Comes Together For Police Department Lip Sync Challenge
On July 18 2018, the St. Augustine Police Department posted their lip sync challenge video on YouTube which has since received over 27K views. Residents of the town, Jay Carter Martin and Shelton Walker, were two of the many contributors to making this video happen. When asked how the whole process got started, Martin explained “The opportunity presented itself when the St. Augustine police department got challenged by the Orange County Police Department. Shelton messaged them about doing the video and we just went from there.”
The video showcases not only the St. Augustine Police Department, but various locations of beautiful St. Augustine Florida as well including the Lightner Museum, the Alligator Farm, and the top of the infamous Lighthouse. “I really wanted to make [the lip sync challenge video] bigger than it has been done before. I wanted to let the police department create the vision but help provide the tools and talent to put it together,” explained Walker. “It was really a collaborative effort. There were so many people that contributed.”
When asked about the inspiration behind making this lip sync video stand out from the rest, Martin stated, “The inspiration really came once we all got together. We all wanted to showcase not only the city, but the talent and collaborative efforts of the community. There is a lot more talent in St. Augustine than people realize, so we were all really dedicated to using this opportunity to showcase that talent.”
The video serves a purpose not only in highlighting the town and its residents, but also putting the police department in a positive and carefree light. Martin commented, “We have the understanding that not all cops are bad. Getting to hang out with them all day really humanized them. You know, they have to do a job and work all day just like we do. They also work with jerks and the jerks give them the bad rep. The best thing that we experienced in working with them was getting to see that fun side of them up close.” He also pointed out the benefit that comes from respecting a group of people that are keeping you safe rather than viewing them as a group that ruins the fun.
The collaborative efforts of the community are extremely evident in the finished product of the video. Despite the short amount of time it took to film, and the short notice between when the challenge was accepted and when it was put into execution, Martin and Walker both exclaimed that about one hundred people in the community came out for support. There was even an appearance from St. Augustine Mayor, Nancy Shaver.
In addition to the wonderful sense of community and energy that the video encompasses, there is also quite a surprise for viewers. As many residents of St. Augustine know, it has its spooky spots and quite a haunting history. Many YouTube commenters took note of the ghost that appears on the lighthouse in one of the frames. When asked about the ghost, Martin responded “No comment.”
You can watch the St. Augustine Lip Sync Challenge video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9OcuIMWZro&t=170s