San Francisco cops moonlight as Lunar New Year lion dancers

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KGO) -- Lunar New Year celebrations are in full swing around the Bay Area.

ABC7 news was at the Powell Pace Center as lion dancers entertained seniors with the traditional "Plucking the Greens" dance.

This is when people feed oranges and lettuce to the lion dancers for good luck and fortune. The lettuce represents money.

"The lion head will eat the lettuce and we shred it in pieces and we spit it out. When the pieces of lettuce fall on you, that wealth will be on you. So go out and buy a lottery ticket,"

The performers are actually San Francisco police officers. The department is the only one on the west coast with its own lion dance troupe. It has been around for 28 years.