Meet The Minn. Cop Who Can Stick A 360
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A small-town Minnesota police officer may now be known all over the world. The officer from Wyoming, Minn. has been coined "the cop who can stick a 360" after this video went viral on YouTube.
His trick at the town's new bike park even earned him air time on ESPN2.
During lunch hour at Goodview Park, you'll find Officer Scott Booecker jumping gaps and turning 360s.
"I'm not only impressed, I'm actually pretty proud," his boss, Chief Paul Hoppe said.
He showed our camera some tricks before the park flooded with teenagers after school -- one of whom captured him in action two weeks ago.
From Facebook, the video got on Youtube, then on Yahoo News.
"I started when I was 7 BMX racing," Officer Booecker said.
He said he uses it to get through to kids.
"Show the kids we are not just police officers, we're BMX era, skate boarders, different things," he said.
His boss, Chief Hoppe, said he's all for it.
"It's not traditional, pass out the fliers, go to the community block parties," he said. "It's really about an officer getting out of his squad car, engaging the community."
Booecker said a lot of kids are surprised to see a 45-year-old BMX-er. His YouTube debut has a half a million hits. The national publicity, he's handling in a very Minnesota way.
"It's just what we do I guess, as police officers," he said.
It seems sometimes to keep people inside the law, you have to go outside the lines.
As for Booecker's next plans?
Maybe start jumping people," he said, with a laugh.
This unconventional patrol approach seems to be working.
The Chief says when the bikers see Officer Booecker, they start picking up trash and tidying up the park.
You can see the whole video of the officer's tricks for yourself here.
