Viral 1-minute video featuring foreigner costs Astana police their jobs
A seemingly innocent video filmed on the streets of Astana turned into a major scandal and the immediate end of the careers of two female tourist police officers.
Egyptian travel blogger Haggagovic posted a video on social media showing him picking up a woman in a police uniform and spinning around with her while she was on duty.
The footage quickly went viral on Kaznet, sparking a heated debate among users. While some were amused by what they saw as the local police’s openness and friendliness, others questioned whether the officers had maintained appropriate professional boundaries and discipline.
Haggagovic is a popular Egyptian travel content creator with 1.3 million subscribers. One of his signature stunts is picking up random passersby — including law enforcement officers — in countries around the world.
Police launch internal investigation
The Astana Police Department responded swiftly, conducting an internal investigation and saying the officers’ behavior in uniform had damaged the agency’s image.
«The capital’s tourist police officers violated professional ethics and conduct standards while on duty. Such behavior, both on duty and in uniform, is unacceptable. A police officer is obliged to maintain professional distance and follow the established code of conduct in all situations,» the department said.
Even the tourist police’s role, which is primarily focused on assisting and welcoming foreign visitors, did not spare the officers from disciplinary action.
The internal investigation resulted in both officers featured in the blogger’s video being officially dismissed from the police force for disciplinary violations.
