Guilford County Sheriff Danny Rogers was a big hit with school alumni and other parade-goers at the NC A&T State University Homecoming when he danced to a rap song along the homecoming parade route accompanied by a Sheriff’s Department vehicle.

However, when the video of the song and dance hit Facebook, Rogers’ critics called it an embarrassing act of self-promotion that was not in keeping with the dignity of the office.

Rogers, a Democrat who beat former longtime Republican Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes in the election four years ago, is currently seeking reelection against Republican Phil Byrd, who has been endorsed by Barnes.

Byrd, after seeing the video, called the song and dance “a pathetic show of behavior” and pointed to the lyrics of the song: “Black Cop” by KRS-One …

“Black cop!! Black cop, black cop, black cop,

Stop shootin’ black people, we all gonna drop.

You don’t even get, paid a whole lot

The black drug dealer just avoid black cop

They’re killin’ each other on a East Coast block

Killin’ each other on a West Coast block

White police, don’t give a care about dat

Dem want us killin’ each other over crack.

 

Barnes said that he too found the song choice very disturbing.

There’s a famous episode of “Seinfeld” in which the character Elaine is shown dancing using ridiculous jerky dance moves.  Barnes said that Rogers’ dancing was highly reminiscent of Elaine’s moves on that episode – but the former sheriff added that this is a serious matter, not a TV comedy.

“I don’t know what to say,” Barnes said. “It is embarrassing to me that a sheriff would act like this and use a sheriff’s vehicle to follow and draw attention to himself.  If he was doing it for any other reason except self-promotion – but that’s not the case.”

“It seems like the sheriff is not only promoting racist ideas but stereotypes,” Barnes added.  “Talk about divisive behavior.”

The former sheriff also said that using county property such as county-owned cars for a campaign event is a violation of election law.

Roger’s supporters say it was just some fun at a homecoming celebration, not a campaign event.

By Wednesday, Nov. 2, the video had been shared on Facebook over 2,200 times.

Many who commented on the video loved the sheriff’s dance down the street.

“That was dope. He killed it!” one Facebook user wrote.

“You Go, Danny!”  another posted, while another Facebook user wrote that the dance had earned Rogers her vote in the upcoming election.

There may be disagreement about the appropriateness of Rogers’ performance in the homecoming parade, but it is certainly fair to say that – regardless of anyone’s political affiliations or their view of the job Rogers is doing as Guilford County sheriff – it is impossible for anyone who watches the video to suggest that Rogers is a good dancer.

 

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