Police department to get cat after Twitter campaign

TROY (AP) - The Troy Police Department will get a police cat following a successful social media campaign. The department launched an initiative on March 6 to reach 10,000 Twitter followers by April, with the incentive of adding a furry feline to their team. The department had just over 4,000 followers when the campaign began. The #WeWantAPoliceCat movement took only eight days to reach the goal. The department's Twitter account drew followers through a slew of humorous tweets, beginning with a photo of a cat wearing sunglasses and a sheriff's hat. The department announced it had reached the milestone Wednesday with a post featuring an image of dancing cats. "We are very excited about a police cat coming to Troy PD," Sgt. Meghan Lehman said. "The Twitter campaign has shown us that there is immense support for cats in law enforcement. Seriously, we think this will continue to help us connect with the public and also help promote the adoption of shelter pets." The department will work with the Humane Society to bring in a cat, she said. The department is now looking for a cat that would be a good fit and deciding on a handler. The animal will be used for therapeutic purposes and will make public appearances. "The plans are in the works. We want to make sure we do this right," Lehman said. The department is continuing to use its social media account to get public input on the feline addition, with a recent post asking for suggestions on what to name a police cat unit. Twitter users have suggested names such as "Claw and Order," "The Purr Patrol" and "Pawlice." Published: Fri, Mar 16, 2018