Published: December 06, 2007 02:07 pm      

Crime Dog joins Jacksonville PD

By Cristin Ross

living@jacksonvilleprogress.com

A familiar face is taking a bite out of Jacksonville’s crime, thanks to Cardinal Health.

McGruff the Crime Dog is the newest member of the Jacksonville Police Department and his first scheduled appearance is the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce Christmas parade.

“We are very happy to have McGruff here to assist us in our crime prevention program,” Jacksonville Police Chief Reece Daniel said. “We are so appreciative of all of Cardinal Health’s help in getting him here. He’s going to be a big, big plus for the department.”

Cardinal Health helped bring McGruff to Jacksonville, after Cardinal Health employee Walter Stockstill found out the department didn’t have the crusading canine on their rosters. The company donated more than $3,000 to the “cause” and McGruff arrived on Wednesday — complete with his trademark gray trench coat.

“I knew they’d put him to good use,” Stockstill said after meeting McGruff Wednesday afternoon at Cardinal Health.

McGruff may seem a little more animated to parents that remember him from their childhoods.

His eyes and mouth move and he speaks with a real McGruff voice, (via an MP3 player that synchronizes the mouth to the voice). He even comes with his own cooling system under the coat, to help McGruff stay comfortable in the hot summer sun.

JPD officials aren’t telling who’ll be “in charge” of McGruff at any given appearance, to “keep an air of mystery,” about the hound, said Detective Tonya Sonntag.

“Having McGruff here will be a vital part of our children’s safety program,” Sonntag said. “Kids seem to listen to McGruff more than they would a regular officer.”

McGruff has been a National Crime Prevention Council icon to thousands of children nationwide for more than 25 years, and according to his Web site, he doesn’t intend to retire anytime soon.