Video of Herschel Walker Posing With Badge Next to Real Cop Viewed 1M Times

A clip of Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker posing with a honorary law enforcement badge alongside a sheriff has gone viral.

Walker was criticized by Senator Raphael Warnock after he pulled out a badge during the Senate debate in Savannah on Friday night to dispute accusations from the Democrat that he "pretended to be a police officer."

The honorary badge, which violated debate rules on using props on stage, was given to Walker in recognition of community service work with the Cobb County sheriff's department, Walker's team said after Friday's debate, reported The New York Times.

Walker also received an honorary badge from the sheriff department in Georgia's Johnson County, the jurisdiction of which covers the Republican's hometown of Wrightsville.

On a video posted Monday night, Walker once again brandished the badge he showed during the debate, alongside Johnson County Sheriff Greg Rowland.

"If Herschel's badge is a prop then I guess this badge I wear every day to protect the citizens is a prop also," Sheriff Rowland said. "These are real badges and I gave this to my friend for all he has done for this country and this county."

The clip of Walker and Rowland was reshared on Twitter by Ron Filipkowski, an attorney—former Republican and now Democrat—who frequently posts political clips on social media. Filipkowski posted the footage along with the caption: "I'm pretty sure this is the funniest thing I have ever seen in my life."

The video has since been viewed more than 1.2 million times.

On Sunday, the Johnson County Sheriff's Office issued a statement saying that Walker was presented with a Honorary Sheriff's badge 34. Walker was also made an Honorary Sheriff's Deputy for his work mentoring youths and "working diligently to advocate for the youth of this community to say no to gangs and illegal activity and say yes to hard work and perseverance."

The statement added: "Hershel is one of the best ambassadors for law enforcement in this country. He champions in every way to enhance the need for law enforcement and the appropriate tools needed for law enforcement to be successful in our community relations."

Neither honorary badge Walker was awarded gives him any law enforcement authority, including the power to arrest.

Speaking to NBC, Rowland explained the badge is issued to people could provide help in certain situations to his department, which only employees 15 people.

"We're a small department. A lot of time, we don't have but one officer on the road," Rowland said. "If catastrophe happens, a tornado or a hurricane, I have different people in different parts of this county I have given the badge to, that would be like first responders helping us, assisting law enforcement."

Prior to Friday's debate, Walker was found to have claimed that he worked with the Cobb County Police Department in 2017, not just holding the token title of "honorary deputy."

In 2019, Walker also falsely claimed to have previously been an FBI agent despite records only showing he led a women's self-defense training class held at the the FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia.

Walker's campaign is now hoping to use the attention surrounding the Republican's honorary badges to their advantage.

Walker's team ordered 1,000 imitation plastic law enforcement badges wit the words "I'm with Herschel" in order to sell them as a fundraising tool.

"If Sen. Warnock wants to highlight this, then bring it on," Gail Gitcho, the Walker campaign strategist who ordered the badges, told NBC.

"It just gives us a chance to talk about Herschel's support of law enforcement and law enforcement's support for him. It's a great issue for us."