He Was Being Watched
He felt exhausted. He needed to sit down for a second for a moment, or he could collapse. He was so mistaken in thinking that nobody was looking.
However, if he knew that his boss was watching his every move from the elevator camera, he wouldn't have done what he did. He knew he would never be able to live it done.
A Good Man
Tony Scherb worked for the El Paso County Sheriff's Office and loved his job. He felt at his best when he was busy with work, and after years of working at the station, he knew it like the back of his hand.
He was proud of his precinct's work and loved going to work in the mornings. That is until a secret got exposed that altered everything drastically.
Almost Retiring
He had been with the station for nearly 30 years and has amassed many friends during this time. However, his age was catching up with him, and there was no denying that the inevitable was rapidly approaching.
He couldn't wait to retire and looked forward to finally resting. But Tony had no clue that things would change drastically right before he was able to leave.
Admired
Scherb was quite popular at the station. He had seen many people leave the station; however, he was not one of them. He was oftentimes praised for his commitment to the station.
However, he couldn't help but wonder whether or not the people at the station would admire him still once they learn about what he did in the elevator to deal with his stress.
Almost Done
He would soon be able to relax once he retired, but he still had a lot of work that needed to be done. He had to work through a lot of administrative issues and phone calls before he could rest.
The deadlines were approaching fast, which meant he had to work harder than ever before to meet them. He had been with the station for 29 years, so he was used to the pressures of the job, but it did not make things easier.
Dealing With The Stress
Being an officer of the law was not an easy job. Every person that worked in law enforcement succumbed to the pressures. It was a lot always to be professional, deal with dangerous situations, and be constantly under the watchful eye of the public. It was imperative to find an outlet.
However, certain officers took up horrible habits to deal with the stress.
Letting Off Some Steam
Scherb had a difficult job. The officers at the El Paso County Police department are responsible for the safety of more than 663,000.
The law enforcement officers were inundated with work because of the low cop-to-civilian ratio. They let their steam out for some sanity by doing their own things. It was the same with Officer Scherb.
How He Dealt With Stress
Some of his fellow officers turned to alcohol or cigarettes, but he was not interested in that. That is why his elevator ritual was so crucial to him. It was the reason he remained optimistic for so many years.
However, Scherb was unaware that his boss planned to install a hidden security camera in his sacred space.
He Was A Mystery
Even though Officer Scherb was popular in the office, his colleagues didn't truly understand how erratic he could be.
He wore a well-designed mask while working as a traffic cop, which helped him project his authority. Nobody had ever seen him be so unpredictable until he was caught on camera. He was known to be a kind and generous man but also a man of many secrets.
Getting Exposed
Scherb's boss installed a camera for extra precautions and to perhaps figure out why the elevator was so glitchy.
His ritual began without him realizing everyone in and outside the building would see it.
No Judgment
To be fair, what Scherb liked to do in the elevator wasn’t so crazy. We all have our moments when we think we’re alone - only there isn’t video evidence of the cringe-worthy things we do during our “alone time.”
Although Scherb wasn’t in the privacy of his own home, he still wasn’t expecting anyone to see what he did to blow off some steam.
Getting Into It
The video footage shows Scherb walking into the elevator alone. Everything appears normal. He was just a traffic cop using the elevator, tapping his foot and waiting to arrive at his floor.
Of course, Scherb had no idea about the camera that had just been installed. And what it captured soon had everyone howling.
Time To Groove
He pulled out his phone and chose his favorite app. It was a simple thing, but my oh my did it get the job done. The beat and melody started to flow, and he let his body move with it.
This wasn’t dancing. They were silly, gyrating convulsions that helped him burn off the pressure. Then, the elevator door opened, and a colleague walked in.
Sudden Stop
Scherb immediately went back to his formal stance, but the music was still going. His co-worker raised an eyebrow
This was mostly because it was probably a song she would never have imagined him listening to. Her tiny grin made him have a profound realization.
Doesn’t Matter
He was retiring! It didn’t matter anymore. He could be as goofy as he wanted. He was human after all and why shouldn’t he embrace the joy that came with his “elevator time.”
He might even be able to spread a little joy to others as well. So, he started dancing again.
Breaking Loose
The officer’s eyes went wide. It was a tension-filled pause as she processed what she was seeing. Then, in a beautiful show of “yolo” she joined in as well.
The darkness from the day melted from her stance and she got into it as much as him! They danced and lip-synced to Silento’s “Whip/Nae Nae” … until the door opened again. This time the big boss was coming in.
Stop! The Boss
Scherb and his partner in crime froze in a professional stance. He even gave the sheriff a small salute – a genuine sign of respect for the man he had worked beside all these years.
He also made sure to hit pause on the song. But the story doesn’t end there. In fact, it gets even better.
The Famous Song
If you’re unfamiliar with the song “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae), you probably need some additional information to fully appreciate the hilarious situation.
The song Scherb was jiving to was released in 2015 by the hip-hop/R&B artist Silento, and it has a famous dance that goes with it. Many other rap and hip-hop artists have done a version of the dance, but Scherb’s really took the cake.
Coast Is Clear
As soon as the sheriff left the elevator and another officer got on, Scherb and the woman looked at each other with mischievous grins.
He hit play again, and they both jumped back into their dance-off. The man watched them in shock. But what would he do next?
What’s Going On Here?
The officer who was witnessing the elevator party looked at Scherb in absolute shock. The reason the whole situation was so unexpected was because Scherb had always been described as being extremely professional.
It must have been quite a sight to see the most professional man in the building doing the famous “Stanky Leg” hip-hop dance move in the elevator. But what would he do?
Elevator Party
It was beautiful. It was unforgettable. The third addition got right into the groove as well. Even a fourth officer found her way into the elevator party and shook her hips.
None of them had any idea that the entire thing was being filmed and the boss would soon see it.
Caught Red-Handed
Being called into the sheriff’s office wasn’t out of the ordinary, but as soon as Scherb saw his boss’s laptop with the security footage, he turned white as a ghost. “This is what you do with your free time?” his boss asked.
Scherb assumed the expected stance – standing straight with his hands resting behind his back. “Yes, sir.”
Unexpected Outcome
The sheriff glanced at the video again … then smiled! “I love it.” Scherb felt like he was about to pass out on the floor.
His boss continued, “I would like your permission to post this on our Facebook page. People need to see that cops are humans too. And I love the camaraderie it builds.”
Putting It Online
The office didn’t expect much, maybe just a few “likes” here and there, possibly a couple of comments, but when everyone saw the view count skyrocket to 7 million, they couldn’t believe their eyes! They had gone viral!
His boss went the extra mile and added his own glowing comments to the video.
Kind Words
“Tony is probably one of the most hilarious, nicest deputies I’ve ever met. He’s had a stellar, stellar career and he’s going to be greatly missed.
Just a quality person and a quality deputy.” The day came to a close and Scherb’s retirement officially started. Besides wishing the best for him, they all had another farewell.
Leaving A Legacy
Many of them were going to adopt their own “elevator” ritual when it was just them or their coworkers. It was a stress-reliever that worked wonders. It was also a much healthier way to deal with the day.
Scherb had not only left a professional impressive over nearly three decades he had left his own special, grooving mark on the entire office.
Letting Go
Since we are living in troubling times and police officers are under even more scrutiny than ever, Scherb’s viral video showed people that cops are human, too.
The video highlighted that cops can also let go and enjoy a time-out once in a while. In these troubling times, everyone needs a moment to relax and laugh at some goofy antics.
Internet Celebrity
Usually, the El Paso police department posts serious videos of perps being arrested or suspects on the run from the law. The sheriff decided that just this one time, they would share a video of the officers having some fun.
And thankfully, the video of Scherb’s elevator party was well-received by the public. In fact, he had become an internet celebrity overnight!
Inspiring
But Scherb’s moves hadn’t just gone viral - the video actually meant so much more than that. Not only did he become an internet sensation, but he had also bridged the divide between cop and civilian.
Other law enforcement agents are inspired by Scherb’s goofy antics - the video was a small respite that lifted everyone’s spirits.
Making Connections
While many of us use social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook to connect with friends and loved ones, some use them to get information about what’s going on in the world.
The El Paso County police department’s Facebook page is used to connect with the locals and share their officer’s accomplishments. By sharing the video on their page, Scherb’s free spirit lives on even after he’s retired.