DES MOINES, Iowa — The Des Moines police chief is starring in a hip-hop music video to send a message.

The Des Moines Police Department teamed up with local hip-hop artist Will Keeps in the “We Fight” music video.

The video starts with Chief Dana Wingert being forced to shoot an armed black man at a convenience store after a confrontation with a store clerk. At the end, the roles are switched and the man ends up shooting Wingert.

“If hip-hop joins together with the police officers to help fight what’s going on in the streets and in the world, it will be huge. It will be huge because it’s so powerful,” Keeps said.

Keeps said the message of the video is simple: The violence needs to stop.

Des Moines’ homicide rate is the highest it’s been in two decades. Keeps said there are stigmas out there he’s hoping to break.

“Help fight when it comes to police brutality, black brutality, white brutality, they all exists and we want to fight all of that.”

It was that message that convinced Wingert to be a part of the video.

“How do you reach the young people? In today’s age, you reach them through videos and music, and Will brings that talent to the table something that we obviously aren’t experts in,” Wingert said. “It was easy to say yes because his message was pure, and I think it’s important.”

Wingert said although the police department has a successful outreach program, this was a unique way to reach a younger crowd. The video also features some students from Scavo High School.

Keeps is well-known for his song “Wake Up, Iowa” that debuted after the death of 16-year-old Terry Harris, who was shot and killed last June at a home in the 2200 block of Lincoln Avenue.

Watch the music video below or click here.