NYPD, Brooklyn school team up for mannequin challenge to stomp out bullying

BROWNSVILLE, Brooklyn (WABC) -- NYPD officers and a Brooklyn school are taking advantage of a viral trend to try to stomp out bullying.

About 200 students from P.S./I.S. 323 in Brownsville and NYPD officers from Patrol Borough Brooklyn North and the 73rd Precinct created a mannequin challenge video this week.

The challenge involves a group of people who stand still while a camera moves around them.

The NYPD posted the video on social media Wednesday night:

In the video, anti-bullying signs and messages are portrayed.

The video has received positive feedback:

Students in grades 5 through 8 worked together with the officers to map out what exactly they wanted to do for the video.

"Bullying isn't something where you might see outward physical signs and so some of our students suffer in silence," said Linda Harris, the principal at P.S./I.S. 323.

The officers really go into it, too.

"When we saw this mannequin challenge we thought, hey this is a way we can engage the children and do something fun, as well," said Chief Jeffrey Maddery with the NYPD. But it's really all about the message we want to stomp out bullying."

For some students, making this video was a very personal experience.

"It took me way back to third grade when I actually got bullied because of my height," said 13-year-old Jada Coooper. "I was too tall, taller than anyone else."

This video taught her different is good. And now all of the students, staff and officers hope others listen and learn.

One person on Twitter is now challenging the Brooklyn South Precinct to do the same thing.

Eyewitness News is talking with the officers from the Brooklyn North Precinct today. Tune into Eyewitness News later and check back for updates.