Police officers are taking photos with bluebonnets in a sweet new social media challenge

If you’ve ever questioned the creativity of your local police force, check this out! The question’s been settled. The newest Internet trend is a great example of how fun law enforcement can be.

In Texas, as the state’s iconic bluebonnet flowers bloom, police departments are taking part in a #backthebluebonnets social media challenge.

The goal: To have fun while posting the most creative picture of law enforcement posing among the wildflowers.

The hashtag started when Round Rock Police Officer Angelo Marmarinos posed for a boomerang-style image last month.

Officer Marmarinos had taken a funny photo in uniform, which his police partner suggested posting to Twitter. What started as typing the #backtheblue hashtag (in support of police officers) quickly turned into wordplay connecting the hashtag to the popular Texas wildflower instead.

“Gotta love Texas Bluebonnet season in Round Rock,” Officer Marmarinos captioned his post from @OfcMarmarinos.

https://twitter.com/OfcMarmarinos/status/1108055793440559104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1108055793440559104&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newswest9.com%2F2019%2F04%2F06%2Ffelt-cute-may-arrest-someone-later-meet-cop-behind-backthebluebonnets-challenge%2F

It set off a bluebonnet bonanza among the boys in blue. The hashtag definitely caught on, which was no surprise to the challenge’s originator.

“We’re cops so we compete!” Marmarinos told Fort Worth’s NewsWest. “It’s good to see everyone take it to the next level.”

Want to hazard a guess how many police departments posted a #backthebluebonnets challenge photo? A lot! Here’s one from Instagram’s @abc13miya.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv5E68lA_8z/

Jumping for joy among the flowers? Instagram user @halliesheroes has that covered.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv7s7Xgn8fI/

Police unicorns in Austin? Check. This one was posted to Facebook by an official unit, Austin Police Department Region 3.

Don’t have the real deal nearby? No problem! Pose with the butter spread of the same name like this officer from the Farmers Branch Police Department did on Facebook.

Not human? Again, no problem. Drug-sniffing dogs are featured in some of the best posts, like K9 Shaka with the Hewitt Police Department. “Felt cute, might sniff out drugs later,” was the caption of this police pup’s challenge photo from Twitter user @HewittPD1.

As Twitter user @JuliannaRenner noted, maybe the trend will even make it to the Scottish police force where a similar flower, the bluebell, is revered.

https://twitter.com/JuliannaRenner/status/1113938507280596993

Bluebonnets typically bloom in Texas in mid-February through April and then again in late summer to early fall. Which means there could be another wave of the #Backthebluebonnets challenge ahead this year. That’s fine by us!