First Kitten On The Force Raises Right Paw For Swear-In
The Troy, Michigan Police Department sent out a tweet last March that claimed it would add a feline ‘Pawficer’ to its force if their Twitter account reached 10,000 followers.
As one would expect to be the case when such an adorable challenge was issued, followers clamored to tag along on the hunt for the first kitty on the force, and ‘ooohed’ and ‘ahhhhed,’ over the precious swearing in of “Pawfficer” Donut.
Police Cat Appointment Ceremony for Pawfficer Donut!
Posted by Troy Police Department – Troy, Michigan on Friday, May 11, 2018
Related: Thanks to Twitter, Troy is Getting a Police Cat
Two judges asked the feline crimefighter to raise her right paw as they swore her in, and she officially became the top kitteh on the beat.
Police Chief Gary Mayer said that the challenge on Twitter was to open the eyes of the public and let them know that the police department is human also, and there are fun and compassionate sides to law enforcement officers that may not always be known or seen.
Happy Mother’s Day from Troy PD! Here’s some footage of Pawfficer Donut training at home this weekend.
Posted by Troy Police Department – Troy, Michigan on Sunday, May 13, 2018
Before Pawfficer Donut was sworn in, another cat named Badges had been selected for duty, but was not able to serve because he sadly tested positive for feline leukemia. In a tweet, the department shared the bad news and said that the honor of being the first chosen ‘pawfficer’ would always be Badges’s and he’d always share a place in their hearts.
Related: Hilarious Police Account Of Cat Stuck In Tree Goes Viral
Pawfficer Donut’s official duty is to help raise awareness in the community about animal adoptions and rescues, and of course, she’ll be featured on the department’s social media pages as an ambassador for all those who bravely serve to protect. Pawfficer Donut also will engage with and interact with the community in her line of duty, and judging by how snuggly she is, that doesn’t look like it’ll be a problem at all!
You can support @mhumane and get a cool Troy PD Feline Unit shirt here: https://t.co/mZAWTYHMyx pic.twitter.com/ahmEOOHc9D
— Troy Police Dept. (@TroyMI_Police) May 11, 2018
Pawfficer Donut will spend time at the station, of course, but similarly to her canine K-9 comrades, will live at and be the off-duty pet of an officer who has two cats at home waiting for a new sibling. Additionally, the police department is marketing fun merchandise from its ‘feline unit,’ and will give the proceeds of the sales to the Michigan Humane Society, which is where Pawfficer Donut was adopted from.
Congratulations, Pawfficer Donut!
More by Lori Ennis