Detective Winston Harbin became an overnight internet sensation when he busted out some impressive dance moves while working along the parade route during the 2014 Carnival Season. The videos of the dance earned him the nickname “Wobble Cop” and showed that the community was happy to meet a police officer willing to have some fun.
Turns out, he wasn’t finished. Harbin brought his moves back at the Night Out Against Crime event in Central City last month, which brought another round of videos. One of them has been watched nearly 1.7 million times. This Thursday, he’s set to battle WWL-TV’s Mike Hoss in an epic dance-off.
But Harbin’s more than a dancing sensation. He’s a dedicated officer with deep roots in New Orleans.
Here are five questions with the department’s most popular dancer:
Where did you grow up?
“My family lived in the 3100 block of Urquhart Street. My father left my mother with four kids to raise. She was the foundation of who I am today. I credit my mother “Dottie”, as she was known, who worked two jobs until retiring. She was a cafeteria worker at Arabi Park Middle School, and in the evenings she would work at the Arabi Food Store.”
Why did you choose a career in law enforcement?
“I graduated high school in 1982. In 1984, I began my law enforcement career with the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office. After three years, I decided to change professions as the income was not suited for a family. I worked the private sector for 10 years as a loss prevention officer for a large hotel. After some changes in my life, I decided to return to policing during the administration of then Chief Richard Pennington.”
When you’re not dancing, what do you do at NOPD?
“I was hired on September 15, 1997. My Training Academy classmates awarded me the Louis J. Sirgo Award. Upon graduation I was sent to the Second District, where I was a Patrol Officer until the latter part of 1999. It was then I received a taste of the detective side of this profession. Then, in June of 2000 I was assigned to investigate Homicides on a district level. In 2002, I was assigned to the Major Case Homicide Squad, where I worked through Katrina. I have been assigned to Homicide going on 17 years.”
What made you start doing the wobble that day in Mardi Gras 2014?
"Not sure! The music began to play and I encouraged my coworker DeCynda Barnes, 'Come on, let’s do it'”.
Why do you think community has reacted so positively to the videos of you dancing?
"I believe it affirms what most good people believe. We (Officers) are good people who do a tough job.
Their first reaction is to smile. What more can another human ask for, as a means of immediate gratification."