Revelers who thought a stern-looking cop was about to shut down their concert were stunned when he picked up a band member’s violin – and started playing.
Police officer Jonathan Landis, 42, wowed diners at Champs Sports Bar and Grill in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, with a few tunes before returning to his regular beat.
Viral footage shows the talented officer, who has been playing violin since the age of three, effortlessly drawing the bow as the audience claps and cheers.
Making an entrance: Police officer Jonathan Landis, 42, was on the job when he heard violin music coming out of the Champs Sports Bar and Grill in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
The talented officer used to work as a professional musician and teacher before changing career and joining City of Lake Geneva Police Department.
Hot air balloon pilot John Trione, 53, caught his impromptu performance at the bar on camera.
He said: ‘I was watching the band and I saw this police officer walk through the back gate. I thought he was going to shut it all down.
‘He stood there with his arms folded and wasn’t really smiling. I thought they might have had a noise complaint or something.
Picking it up: The drop-in led the former musician to pick up a violin and wow the crowd with an impromptu performance
Longtime player: Jonathan was a musician before moving into law enforcement
Keeping it up: The father-of-four couldn’t help but follow the music when he heard it on patrol
‘The band stopped playing and took a break and I saw him walking towards the violinist and I thought, “Oh boy, here we go.”
‘But he took the instrument and just started playing.
‘It was amazing. I was really impressed by how good he was. This wasn’t a guy who just tried to hammer out a couple of tunes. It was a real shock – completely unexpected. The whole place went off.’
Part-time PC Jonathan Landis said when he heard the music on a Sunday afternoon last month he couldn’t resist investigating where it was coming from.
The dad-of-four said: ‘Before I worked in law enforcement I was a musician.
Big moment: Jonathan is seen on the day he was sworn in as a police officer
Familiar territory: Jonathan claims that law enforcement and music are his two passions
Back in the day: Jonathan was only three years old when he started playing violin
‘That day I was on foot patrol when I heard somebody playing the violin and I had to check it out.
‘Everybody was staring at me thinking, “What is this cop doing here? Is he in trouble?”
‘I shook the violinist’s hand. I have met him before and he knows I play, so he handed me the fiddle.
‘I was put on the spot and it wasn’t like I had chance to let my chief know. I played a few tunes and it was great. I love playing.
‘Law enforcement and music are my two passions. It was my way of giving back to the community – it was like a dream come true.’