Police videos go viral on Tikkok

A policeman runs next to a car, reaches through the open window with his hand and downs the phone’s phone. He looks puzzled. “No cell phone while driving,” says the policeman in the camera. Message transmitted. Only then does the resolution follow – the scene in the video is set. A policewoman even waves a branch behind the window so that the journey looks deceptively real.

The police in Saxony-Anhalt has already published many videos like this on the TikTok video platform. Often it is about safety in road traffic, traffic controls or working with the police – the clips are usually very short, surprising and also with self -irony.

“The videos often initiate a debate. Many then talk about their experiences with the police in the comments. We want this exchange,” says police champion Arthur Gamm. He is one of the two main actors in the videos.

Traffic control in 15 seconds

A good one and a half years ago, the police set up the channel on Tiktok. The platform appeals to young users in particular. The aim was to find access to this target group after the increased youth crime in Halle and to strengthen prevention. In the meantime, videos appear regularly on the channel, some have been called millions – such as a short video of a traffic control.

“The optimal video length is between 10 and 15 seconds. Within the first two to three seconds we have to get the users so that they can watch the video,” says Gamm. “It is not difficult for us to go into the living environment of the students. We are also in the language because we are on Tiktok every day.”

Most of the time goes for it to find ideas

The police are also active on YouTube and X, but the greatest reach achieves them at Tiktok. For Gamm (32) and police chief commissioner Sebastian Schultzik (36), there was a chance of combining private interest in videos and social media with the profession – even if they take on other tasks to the police. “Most of the time goes for it to find ideas. We ask ourselves: How can we get a topic interesting?” Says Schultzik.

This is sometimes not that easy because you can quickly misunderstand. “We look at the videos from many perspectives. There should be no sub -messages that we do not want to send,” explains Schultzik. Not every idea leads to a usable clip. “Sometimes we don’t have a good gut feeling after a shoot. We reject some things again,” says Arthur Gamm.

Police want to conduct prevention

TIKTOK is not undisputed. Media expert Jonas Schützeneder says that the platform offers access to a very young target group that is not achieved in other ways. However, the professor of the University of the Bundeswehr Munich emphasizes: “As on other platforms, the algorithm promotes populist and aggressive content and ultimately mainly ensures entertainment and emotionalization.”

Ads are not accepted on the Tikok channel, but the comments under the videos are all read. In addition, the two police officers give tips on how to deal with social media and to prevention. Some students already know their face. “Sometimes we are recognized outside, and a few questions about a photo together,” says Schultzik.