Edmonton cop raps to connect with youth

An Edmonton police officer recently showed off his rapping skills in hopes of reaching out to the city’s youth.

In just a few days, the video of an Edmonton peace officer’s hip hop performance has garnered thousands of views.

Halley Barrantes, a transit peace officer who also goes by the name ‘Tha Witness,’ showcased his breakdancing and rapping skills at Edmonton’s Winston Churchill Square in Alberta last week.

“I think it’s vital for us to show them we are human and we do care about the culture and not just care about the culture but we are part of the culture, too,” Barrantes told CTV News. He also added that hip hop is often portrayed in a negative light.

During his performance, Barrantes also paid a special tribute to a fallen police officer. He made a shout out in his freestyle saying “put your hands up to the one who gave his life up,” in honour of Edmonton’s Const. Daniel Woodwall, who was was killed last Monday in the line of duty.

“I believe it’s vital for law enforcement and the community to have a working relationship when it comes to the culture – the hip hop culture,” he told the Edmonton Journal. He also added that his hip hop skills help him to identify with the youth community, especially at-risk youth living in the downtown core.

While the combination of law enforcement and hip hop might seem odd, for Barrantes it has often worked. He was able to break stereotypes and his performance has gone viral with over 60,000 views on Facebook.