What is a Mardi Gras parade without music and dancing? I guess it would be a brightly colored and well-attended traffic jam, wouldn't it? Fortunately, our seasonal celebration does include a lot of music and a lot of dancing, so much so that even those charged with keeping the peace can't help but become a part of the party.

That is Officer Eric Calvin of the Slidell Police Department. Officer Calvin was busted while busting a move or two during this weekend's Mardi Gras festivities in that city. The official Slidell Police Department Facebook page does concede that Officer Calvin could use a little help with his dancing but they do applaud his efforts.

So do I. I believe this officer is doing exactly what a peace officer should be doing during a public event. He is mingling and blending in with the crowd and becoming a part of the community. Of course, he is still maintaining control of his assignment and is standing at the ready should trouble arise.

It's videos like these, remember Wobble Cop from 2014, that remind us that the ladies and gentlemen who put their lives on the line every time they put their uniforms on are still very much human. While we expect officers to treat us with basic human dignity sometimes reciprocal behavior is not returned to the officer.

Dance on Officer Calvin. Next time, if it's okay with you, I'd like to jump in right next to you. There's no better way to make your dancing look better than to compare it with mine.

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