A Buffalo, New York police officer has gone viral after a video appeared to show him sleeping in his patrol car while monitoring traffic. The footage quickly spread across Reddit and Instagram, where viewers criticized the officer and questioned why he appeared to be asleep while on duty.
In the footage, a passerby films a police cruiser parked on the side of the road while the officer inside is assigned to monitor speeding drivers. The cop appears to be asleep, however, as he sits motionless with his mouth open and sunglasses on for an extended period. Despite the traffic continuing to flow past the patrol car, the officer does not appear to react or change position at any point during the clip.
Near the end of the video, the woman recording says, “Not a great spot to park the car. But, okay,” before walking away.
Social Media Reactions
The footage quickly made its way to Reddit, where many commenters criticized the officer, while others saw humor in the situation. One of the most upvoted comments read, “Tax payers are paying him to nap. I’d rather have healthcare.” Another person took a different view, writing, “I see nothing wrong with this. That cop should get an award for not doing any harm.”
Others joked that the officer’s mere presence may have still achieved its goal. “Tbh. The car and him there probably dissuaded a lot of people from speeding so that’s good,” one Reddit user wrote, while another quipped, “Dang, look at those cars flying by. No wonder he fell asleep.“
Similar reactions appeared on Instagram. One commenter wrote, “Obstructing a public sidewalk while snoozing away your tax dollars,” while another joked, “He might have a new born. Cause that looks like a, I’ma new dad sleeping 😂.” Not everyone found it amusing, however, with one person writing, “Wtf… It doesn’t matter what’s going on in your personal life he shouldn’t be sleeping whilst on the job, specially one like his!“
It remains unclear whether the officer will face any disciplinary action, but the footage has already sparked plenty of debate online. As the clip continues to circulate, many viewers are questioning whether the officer’s conduct met the standards expected of someone tasked with monitoring traffic.
