TORONTO — A Greater Sudbury Police Service video featuring motorcycle officers dancing and lip-syncing to a “tight pants” song has gone viral again this week, drawing sharp online criticism over police priorities in a city facing elevated property crime and one of Ontario’s highest opioid death rates.The video, originally released in May for Canada Road Safety Week by the service’s Integrated Traffic Safety Unit, shows officers in uniform striking poses and dancing while a backing track plays the comedy sketch song, popularized on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. The post urged motorists to drive safely because “the tight pants are watching.”It resurfaced on X this week and quickly spread, with many commenters questioning the use of resources. One of the comments read: “I guess they have nothing better to do in Sudbury? No crime there?”.The reaction comes as Sudbury continues to grapple with notable public safety challenges. A recent perception-based survey by Compare the Market Australia ranked Greater Sudbury as the most dangerous city in Ontario. While Statistics Canada’s official Crime Severity Index for 2025 placed the city below the national average, property crime rose sharply last year — up 29%, driven largely by a surge in shoplifting.Drug-related harms remain particularly acute. Greater Sudbury ranks fourth highest in Ontario for opioid-related death rates at roughly 28 deaths per 100,000 people — more than three times the provincial average. Public Health Sudbury and Districts data show the crisis is ongoing, with elevated emergency calls, overdose visits, and toxic street drug supply involving fentanyl mixed with benzodiazepines and tranquilizers.In regards to the drug problems, Greater Sudbury Police Chief Sara Cunningham said “Enforcement isn't the answer to everything, especially in dealing with vulnerable people”.Police have increased downtown patrols this year in response to resident concerns about social disorder, open drug use, and property crime. Officials have said the tight pants video was intended as a creative public safety message during road safety week.The clip continues to circulate widely, with reactions split between those who appreciate the humour and those who see it as tone-deaf given local conditions.
