Canadian police service's Valentine's Day video jokingly suggests turning in criminal exes
Nothing says “I’m over you,” like turning in a criminal ex, as a now-viral Valentine’s Day video from a Canadian police service suggests.
Brandon Police Service (BPS) in Manitoba has viewers chuckling over a video shared on Facebook on February 12, which has amassed almost 850,000 views and over 400 comments.
In the one-minute video, romance is clearly in the air as Sergeant Dallas Lockhart walks the halls while holding a mug and boasts about their station’s amenities, such as a drab prison cell renamed the CrowBar Hotel.
“Hey, Brandon! Do you have an ex-romantic partner that constantly brags about getting away with crimes? Maybe misses court, has a warrant or two? You want to do something special for them for Valentine’s Day? If so, give us a call,” he says. “Here at the CrowBar Hotel, we have friendly staff ready to greet you!”
The camera then pans to a blue horse, a mascot named Beeps (named after BPS).
That’s not the only thing they have at the CrowBar Hotel: they also offer “luxury transportation” in the form of a police cruiser.
Sergeant Lockhart highlights other amenities, such as “fine dining cuisine brought right to their private suite.” In this case, “fine dining” consists of a single pizza pop, a carton of orange juice with a mini paper umbrella, and a battery-operated tea light for ambiance.
“Our friendly operators are standing by to take your call. So Brandon, make their Valentine’s Day special,” he says before blowing a handful of rose petals.
In an email to Daily Hive, Sergeant Dana McCallum said the video was inspired by a lighthearted Instagram reel by the Bloomington Police Department in Minnesota.
“While the topic of crime and accountability is serious, we believe that incorporating humour into our social media presence helps humanize our officers and builds stronger connections with the community,” she stated, adding that it’s uncommon for people to turn in their exes.
“The goal of the post wasn’t to encourage people to call in tips — reporting criminal activity is something we hope happens every day — but rather to engage the public in a relatable and entertaining way.”
Several viewers were tickled by the video.
One stated, “It should be illegal how hard this made me laugh.”
“Fine dining cuisine and luxury transportation 
I can’t with the romantic flying petals,” wrote another.
But the video has also drawn criticism.
Christopher J. Schneider, a professor of sociology at Brandon University, wrote an opinion piece published in The Brandon Sun that the video is “not only tone-deaf but is cruel and devoid of empathy.”
“When an officer arrests and detains someone, it is often the worst day of that person’s life,” he wrote.
However, McCallum states that the video was meant to break down barriers and “remind people that behind the badge, we’re just people, too.”
“We appreciate the conversations this post has sparked and remain dedicated to finding new ways to connect with and serve our community,” she said.