McGruff Makes Public Debut in Parkville

The Parkville Police Community Relations Council is ready to help "take a bite out of crime."

The council took a big step toward doing that on Saturday when it unveiled its new "McGruff the Crime Dog" costume.

The group unveilled their new McGruff costume, which was donated to them, after a year-long push to raise funds to purchase a brand new one.

"The funds we raised will be used to repair the head and the coat of the McGruff that was given to us," said Rolfe Feser, president of the PCRC.

The cost of a new McGruff costume head is about $1,700 and Feser estimated that the cost to repair the costume would be about $300. 

The remaining funds raised by the group over the course of 2011 will be used to purchase materials such as coloring books, wrist bands and other promotional items and to develop an anti-bullying curriculum they plan to bring to schools by the beginning of the 2012 school year.

On Saturday the iconic canine detective arrived at Fresh & Greens grocery store on in an unmarked police car to present store managers Denise Clark and Denise Spring with certificates of appreciation for the role they played in supporting PCRC outreach activities.

"Fresh & Greens is excited to work with the PCRC and support the Parkville community," Clark said.

The grocery store helped the community group raise funds and donated food to the group. The food was later distributed by PCRC members and McGruff to three area families who needed assistance with Christmas dinner.

"The police community relations council has been a place for people to come out, meet the captain, learn about what the police do and voice their concerns," Feser said. "Now we're trying to develop more into an outreach organization, taking care of families in the neighborhood and bringing McGruff into schools."