Talented Buffalo police officers Moe Badger and Michael Norwood, otherwise known as the “Singing Cops,” got the chance to compete in Season 33 of the reality TV competition The Amazing Race.

Their journey to television fame began in 2019 after a video of the pair singing at a local Buffalo restaurant went viral, which then led to their appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. On the show, they received a check for $10,000 to go to the charity C.O.P.S.S. (Children Overcoming Police Stereotypes Through Sports).

APB asked what they’ve enjoyed about the sudden fame. Norwood said, “Travel. Meeting a bunch of new people that are now friends, family. Everyone has such an amazing story! Growing up where we came from, you never thought you’d travel and see the world. We were honored to have that opportunity, to represent our city.”

Norwood told Spectrum News about being on The Amazing Race: “In 2019, they reached out to us right around the time we did the Ellen show and some other different things. And the next thing you know, we were flying out to L.A. to cast for the show.”

Badger and Norwood began the race for $1 million in prize money in England in February 2020, but the COVID pandemic interrupted filming and shut everything down.

“It took almost two years,” Norwood said. “We started filming this when COVID-19 was hitting, so we had to come back because the world was basically shutting down.”

The two returned to continue filming from September to October 2021. And the season began airing in January 2022.

Norwood told APB, “We just wanted to get home to our families. When you’re gone, you miss your family dearly. We couldn’t wait to get back and tell our families and friends what we saw.”

“None of this is possible without Western New York,” Badger said. “We’re just some Buffalo kids that are trying to make a difference in our community and to be acknowledged for what we’re trying to do in the community is just amazing to us.”

According to local NBC affiliate WGRZ, the officers have also signed a contract with Entertainment One for a TV sitcom featuring the two. 

Norwood told APB about the possible show development. “TV is such a waiting game,” he said. “They’re trying to find writers … it’s a process, the big waiting game.”

They were also invited to perform the national anthem at a Buffalo Bills playoff game. 

About being back on the job after it all, Norwood reflected, “Our city shows us a ton of love. It’s great to be approached, shown so much love. To go from people having a dislike of police officers to people saying, ‘Can I just give you a hug?!’ We understand, and for people to take to us, we’re honored. We don’t take that for granted.”