Police officers in Austin, Texas recently debuted a new addition to their uniforms: light-up sneakers at a local event.
A viral TikTok, which had more than 1.3 million views as of Saturday, shows several Austin Police Department officers patrolling a gathering wearing shiny sneakers.
Content creator Rana Saifi (@rainasaifi15) shared the video. Inside, two Austin police officers weave back and forth through a large crowd, the soles of their sneakers flashing green, red, pink and blue lights. The video was shot at night, so the police officers and theirsketchers” Stand out from the crowd.
The bold text in the video reads, “Why do Austin police have light-up sketchers?” Lana captioned the TikTok: “I feel a little sorry for her.”
@ranasaifi15 I feel a little sorry for her
In the comments, users gave humorous reactions to the cop’s shoes and speculated on the reasons behind the wardrobe choice.
“Wee woo shoes,” one commenter joked.
“It flashes red and blue when I follow my feet,” another user wrote.
“It definitely runs faster,” commented another user.
Some users noted the ingenuity of the shoe, saying it made the police officer more visible to both spectators and other police officers in a large crowd.
“Maybe it’s to make it easier to identify each other in case the crowd gets unruly,” the viewer reasoned.
“Someone probably complained about not seeing them. Love them!” another viewer responded.
Other users were far more interested in the concept of light-up shoes in adult sizes than they were with police officers and their reasons for wearing them.
“Wait!!” one user wrote, followed by a series of wide-eyed emojis, “When I grow up I can buy light-up shoes???” Where has this been for the past 20 years? ? ? ”
“The question is, why don’t we all light up Skechers?” another viewer asked.
It’s unclear whether the officer in the video is actually wearing Skechers, but it’s unlikely. According to the shoe brand’s website, S-Light The sneaker line is designed exclusively for children’s shoes.
The Daily Dot contacted Lana via Instagram message and the Austin Police Department via email.
*First published: October 28, 2023, 2:22pm CDT
tansy mitchell
Tangie Mitchell is a creative writer, journalist, and editor based in New York. Her interests include pop culture and entertainment, poetry, and her morning cup of herbal tea.
