Daniel Rengering is one of the “hot cops” pictured in a selfie that went viral back in September. Officer Rengering, along with officers Michael Hamill and John Nordman, posted the photo online, causing women all over the country to start gushing over the three good-looking men.
The picture was of the three Gainesville, Florida, police officers in their uniforms, getting ready for Hurricane Irma.
Now, Rengering is living a life beyond his 15 minutes of fame. Not only has he made his very own calendar (the proceeds are donated to charity), but he has been offered a spot on the popular reality show, Survivor.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. He Has Agreed to Join the Cast of ‘Survivor’
Rengering is still a member of the Gainesville police department, despite getting some additional fame and fortune from the viral selfie. He has, however, taken a “leave of absence” from the department, law enforcement officials telling TMZ that he has accepted an offer to be on the new season of CBS’ Survivor.
“Rengering was approached by Survivor producers about six months ago, and…he agreed to be a contestant. He’s getting paid for the TV gig … no less than $10k … and possibly up to $1M if he wins,” TMZ reported.
Production of the show is set to begin in the coming weeks in Fiji. The site has confirmed that Rengering will still have a job with the department when he returns to Florida.
Survivor: Ghost Island is currently airing on CBS. The next season, the one that will feature Rengering, will likely air in the fall. For those unfamiliar with the show, you can read a brief description below.
“Castaways will be forced to compete against each other with the same ultimate goal: to outwit, outplay, and outlast each other in an attempt to become the Sole Survivor.”
2. He’s Known as the ‘Hot Cop With Good Hair’
Although Rengering wasn’t front and center in the cop selfie, he ended up getting plenty of attention thanks to his great hair. According to his website, he quickly became known as the “hot cop with good hair,” and he has used that to his advantage.
Over the past six months, Rengering has had several job offers and has been “recruited by renowned photographers from all over the world.” He has been keeping up with his model-game, and has been featured on the cover of more than 40 books.
Additionally, Rengering regularly attends signings and seems to enjoy meeting with people. According to his website, his next signing isn’t scheduled until July, which presumably gives him enough time to finish filming Survivor.
He also has a calendar that is available for purchase, the proceeds of which go to charity. He has raised money for the Basketball Cop Foundation, Give Kids the World, and the Human Rights Campaign, according to his website.
3. He Is the Youngest Person to Ever Make the Gainesville Police Department’s SWAT Team
Despite having some fame and fortune come his way, Rengering is still a part of the Gainesville Police Department. He is the youngest person to ever make the Gainesville Police Department’s SWAT Team, according to his website.
In November 2017, Rengering celebrated his 5-year anniversary with the department.
“Five-years ago, I joined the Gainesville Police Department. It has been such a privilege to serve a city I love very, very much; a city filled with bright and vibrant residents; a city filled with people who genuinely care for each other. I have seen so much more goodness in this city, than I have ever seen bad. Thank you to all of my colleagues for pushing me to grow and to learn, and a huge thanks to the residents of Gainesville for supporting myself and the rest of this department, every day, as we do our very best to serve you. Here’s to the next five-years,” Rengering posted on Instagram last year.
4. He Used to Be Overweight But Lost 125 Pounds & Often Speaks About His Wellness Journey
Rengering used to be overweight, but over the past five years, he has been dedicated to a health and fitness routine that caused him to drop 125 pounds.
Following his weight loss success, Rengering has spoken out about his journey and has dedicated some of his time to helping others reach their weight loss goals. He has been featured on Ellen, Good Morning America, and Inside Edition, as well as several other shows. He seems to enjoy speaking about weight loss and motivating people to live their best lives when it comes to health and wellness.
5. The ‘Hot Cop’ Selfie Was Deleted Due to Controversy Surrounding Hamill
When the above “hot cop selfie” was first posted, the Gainesville Police Department had a blast reading the comments and enjoying the attention. The department posted the following on its Facebook page:
“UPDATE:
1. We are dying with the comments. You’ve actually made our chief blush with some of them.
2. MRS. Nordman and MRS. Hamill have also enjoyed knowing how millions of women are going crazy over their husbands.
3. We can confirm that Officer Rengering (far right with the amazing hair) IS SINGLE.
4. On another note, Officer Rengering is being placed into Cougar Prey Protective Care, similar to the witness protection program for his safety.
5. Please do not call 9-1-1 and request this group respond to your “incident”
6. There WILL be a calendar.”
“Thank you all for the hilarious comments…they have brightened our time up here. As for the calendar, we are going to try and do something fairly quickly and funds raised will go to Hurricane Irma recovery here in Florida.”
However, a short time later, controversy erupted when people found out that Michael Hamill (the officer in the center of the photo) had anti-Semitic posts on his Facebook. The department deleted the “hot cop selfie,” and released the following statement.
“Several citizens have brought information to our attention regarding a complaint against Officer Hamill. GPD is reviewing the allegation and will do so in accordance to Florida law and department policy. Under Florida Law, complaint information is confidential until an investigation is concluded.The Gainesville Police Department prides itself with our philosophy and mission of compassion, inclusion, and respect and will fully review the matter.”
Hamill later resigned from the department.
