Aaron Young

ayoung2@dmreg.com

Two central Iowa police departments' latest spring outreach campaign, involving a stereotypical sweet treat, is drawing some serious attention on social media.

"Spring is always a time about new beginnings," said Eric Snyder, community resource officer at the Ames Police Department. "The message this year is respect."

Along with the help of the Iowa State University Police Department, the two law enforcement agencies are teaming up to positively impact students and the city of Ames. Snyder said with everything that has gone recently in Iowa as well as the country, the goal of this campaign "is to bring people back together."

"Respect is a very basic message anytime you want to do it," he explained. "Respect is cross-cultural."

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So why doughnuts?

Snyder said that the Ames Police Department posted an April Fool's Day video part of its Quick Tips series — 30-second clips that are meant to inform people. Snyder called that video "very basic," but it resonated well online and had thought they could bring that idea back for the new campaign.

That video drew 7,000 views. And most of the time, the police department's videos average between 5,000 to 10,000 views, Snyder said.

But its latest video, however, has already surpassed the standard. As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, after being published earlier Monday, it has over 394,000 views, 4,100 shares and 3,000 likes.

Starring Snyder as well as Anthony Greiter of the ISU Police Department, the video starts out with the pair sitting at a table, munching on doughnuts and providing more information about the campaign.

"Watch social media for events as they pop up the rest of the month to get free doughnuts from the police," Greiter says midway through the clip, with a mouthful of doughnut.

What's the catch? It's simple.

"All we ask is that you donut disrespect, donut discriminate, donut harass and donut hate," Snyder says in the video while chowing down.

WATCH:The hilarious outtakes

Some of the video's 110-plus comments include:

From the West Liberty Police Department: "Mic drop — You won the Internet today. Well played."

From Sarah Anne Martin: "No clue where Ames is but I'm over here laughing in Benbrook, Texas! Super cute video! Send donuts."

From Amanda Cherry: "You all make me wish I still lived in Iowa! And cop donuts are way better than regular donuts … because cop donuts are justice nice!"

Snyder added that even though the social media attraction the latest clip has received, he said it still bottles down to always being genuine and keeping the community they police departments represent and serve in mind.

"Yeah I want it to be well-received, but I'm more blown away about by how popular it's been," Snyder said.

"We're really trying to spread a message that makes our community better."

Snyder said that he writes scripts for the videos while sitting in his office. The police departments shared an outtakes video Tuesday afternoon, which as of 11 a.m. Wednesday, has more than 31,000 views and 330 shares.

And, lastly: Get a load of the new wheels for the campaign:

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