Boston police officer injured after chaotically throwing himself down kiddie slide at newly renovated playground
- A Boston cop was injured while descending a children’s slide into a playground
- Mayor Michelle Wu said the city could make it clearer that the slide is for children only
Video of a Boston police officer whizzing down a kiddie slide before sliding face down across the playground’s turf has gone viral.
Boston police said on Tuesday the officer was being treated for minor injuries, but did so with the help of his own health insurance and did not miss work.
Multiple viral clips, reportedly filmed by fellow cops, showed the moment when the fully uniformed cop came running down the slide in Boston’s City Hall Plaza, which was undergoing major renovations in November.
As he emerged from the opening of the slide, he was slammed against the edge of the exit lane and several items appeared to come loose from his belt, including a pair of handcuffs.
As the officer emerged from the opening of the slide, he was knocked against the edge of the exit track and several items appeared to come loose from his belt
The plaza in front of Boston City Hall underwent a $95 million renovation in November 2022. The slide can be seen in the background
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said Tuesday afternoon that she had not seen the video when asked about it at a news conference, but praised the new playground.
It’s not the first time an adult has experienced a rough slide down the slide. In November, Boston City Councilman Erin Murphy shared a video on Twitter of her losing a shoe while coming down and ending up face down the same way.
“I started going down the slide while sitting up and facing forward. I was thrown around in the tunnel and came out backwards and upside down,” she commented at the time.
The incident involving the currently unnamed officer is not under investigation, police said.
“He was injured and was using his own personal health insurance to get treatment,” Detective John Boyle said. “He lost no time and is back to work.”
The source of the video is not clear, but multiple versions have gained traction on various social media sites.
On TikTok, one version had been viewed millions of times, while another version was posted on Twitter by professional hockey player turned NHL commentator Ryan Whitney.
However, shortly after posting the video, he removed it. “I just deleted one of the funniest videos of all time. I was begged to take it down. Sa,” he said.
But a number of other users were able to save the video, and different versions are now circulating on the Internet.
Boston police on Tuesday said the unnamed officer was being treated for minor injuries, but did so with the help of his own health insurance
Mayor Michelle Wu (pictured in April) suggested while addressing the incident on Tuesday that the city could make it clearer that the slide is for kids only
Children play in the Boston City Plaza playground, which was renovated in November. The slide can be seen in the background
A number of Boston outlets claimed to have identified the officer in question, but said they withheld his name because the incident was not being investigated.
The slide is the centerpiece of a revamped playground and was part of a $95 million makeover. The renovated space was described as having a “child brutalist” style, an official from the mayor’s office told the Boston Globe last year.
Addressing the incident on Tuesday, Mayor Wu suggested that the city could make it clearer that the slide is for children only. “We were just there for the Puerto Rican festival this weekend,” she said told Boston 25 News.
“I don’t know what the circumstances were or what happened,” she added. “But I’ll be sure to check in and make sure the officer is okay. If it turns out that more signage is needed that is for children or something, then we can do that too.’
According to the outlet, the entrance to the playground has signs indicating that it is intended for children between the ages of two and 12.
“Everything has a chance to go viral these days,” Wu said.