Cavaliers fans have likely spotted Cleveland police officer Chris Porter’s dance moves as he works security for home games at Rocket Arena or seen him in videos on social media.
So what’s the story behind the Cavs’ dancing cop?
Chris Porter, a 42-year-old Cleveland police officer, works his post during a Cavaliers game against the Miami Heat at Rocket Arena.
“It became an opportunity to engage with people and it got really popular with everyone that comes to the games. It’s become more enjoyable for me to do it,” 42-year-old Porter said.
The 12-year police veteran has been working at Cavs game since 2016. He moved to courtside two years after starting his position.
Believe it or not, he never was a dancer growing up.
Cleveland police officer Chris Porter scans the crowd as he works security during a timeout at a Cavaliers game at Rocket Arena.
“I’m definitely not the type of person that has always been dynamic and in the spotlight, so it was more of an evolution for myself,” he said. “I would have never gone out there and been like ‘I’m going to dance in front of people.’ It started off as a head bob.”
Porter remembered the first time he went viral. Former Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden had recorded him vibing and posted it to his Instagram.
“My brother was like, ‘OMG, he’s got you on his Instagram,’” Porter recalled.
Porter said his moves have become more natural as he has gained confidence over the years. At one point this past season, he was featured with one of the Cavs dance teams for a short cameo in their routines.
“I’ve done a lot of things in my life, career, and that was probably the most nerve-racking,” Porter said.
‘Oh, they do like to have fun’
Police officer Chris Porter cracks a smile while working his post during a timeout in the Cleveland Cavaliers game against the Miami Heat,
While being a police officer is a difficult job and people may view police as unapproachable, Porter sees his dancing as a way to bridge that gap.
“It humanizes us, especially when you’re in the position that we’re in standing out on the court,” he said. “It’s easy to fall into a statue stage but then you see this out-of-place officer dancing, and you get that human aspect of like, ‘Oh, they do like to have fun.'”
When he’s not dancing courtside, Porter is a part of the employee assistance unit for the Cleveland Police Department, where he helps other officers with their mental health and wellness.
A bonus to being part of that unit: He gets to walk around with a big happy yellow Labrador, who is a trained therapy dog.
Chris Porter, a 42-year-old Cleveland police officer, works his post during the Cavaliers game against the Miami Heat on March 25.
“I take him around the districts and units to interact with officers just to help them out because it’s a stressful job,” Porter explained.
He also prides himself on being an active part of the department’s community engagement efforts by always joining community events and interacting with members of the public.
To see Porter courtside, look for him by the basket where the Cavs shoot around before games, opposite from their bench.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Meet the Cleveland officer who is known as the courtside dancing cop