You may be familiar with police dogs, but what about police cats? Well, a police department in Troy, Michigan has just that: a police cat. The purrfessional title of the feline is Pawficer Donut. Come see how Donut was chosen, his training, and what he does for the Troy Police!
12. A Search for a Pawficer
Image: twitter troy pd
We all know cats rule the Internet, and make everything better. So did Troy Police. On March 2018, they posted on Twitter that they would adopt an official police cat if they reached 10,000 followers they would take on an official Police Cat. The race for #PoliceCat was on!
11. Reaching the Goal
Image: twitter troy pd
The Twitter account reached its goal in just 4 days growing up from 4,000 followers to 10,000. Well, the Troy PD knew they had to keep their promise, especially as their internet following grew. Soon cat jokes and posts were flying around.
10. Getting Ready
Image: twitter troy pd
Even people across the country were behind #PoliceCat. Donations of a cat-sized police uniform and tweets came in to the Troy PD. It seemed like this was a sure-fire thing.
9. Choosing a Handler
Image: twitter troy pd
It would take a special person, er, purrson, to handle #PoliceCat. The officers and staff of Troy PD had to chose the right candidate. This had to be a careful decision! The PD finally chose an officer who loved cats and had two of their own, and gave the squad car its own decal.
8. Interviewing Prospective Cats
Image: wxyz
The search for a police cat couldn’t be taken lightly and the officers in charge of the recruitment had to make sure they got the right candidates. The Michigan Humane Society was on the case and brought some furry friends. Would they be purrfect for the job?
7. The Press Conference
Image: twitter troy pd
The Troy PD had their first press conference to announce the latest steps in the search for #PoliceCat. #PoliceCat would be part of a very special unit, Feline Unit, of course. A number of qualified candidates were brought in by the Michigan Humane Society again…was the new Pawfficer among them?
6. The Wait and Big Announcement
Image: wwjnradio
It was now April 24 and the candidate hadn’t been chosen yet. But then, May 1, the Troy PD finally made their big announcement! Pawciffer Badges had been chosen to join the ranks.
5. Badges the Cat
The day came for Pawciffer Badges to be sworn in by the Troy PD. Badges, a domestic long-hair kitten, had come from the Michigan Humane Society. She was sworn in by  Judge Kirsten Nielsen Hartig and Judge Maureen McGinnis Friday afternoon.
4. A Twist in the Tail
Image: twitter troy pd
But Badges the cat wasn’t to be an officer for long as she was determined to have Feline Leukemia Virus. The condition is serious and passes to other cats, thus she couldn’t be in the police department, but the Michigan Humane Society began to look for another cat-free home for the kitten. Now they had to recruit another Pawciffer.
3. Back at It
Image: troy pd twitterÂ
The search continued and many kittens were put to the test. The testing was rigorous. The kittens needed to show purring and good reflexes and of course, be cuddly. What kitten would fill Badge’s shoes? Wait until you see the new Pawfficer and hear their adorable name!
2. Pawciffer Donut
Image: miami herald
May 11 was the big day. The Troy PD officially announced that the new addition would be named Donut! Donut’s new duties would be being cute, cuddling, and making public appearances. One of her most recent was at a kitten shower held by the Michigan Humane Society. In addition to greeting her public, Pawciffer Donut also helps others realize the importance of adopting from your local shelter.
1. A Social Media Star
Image: detroit free press
Pawciffer Donut is now the star of the Troy PD social media pages. Their Twitter account has grown to nearly 15,000 followers and sometimes #PoliceCat pops up. She even makes appearances at local schools. Don’t you wish you could meet Pawciffer Donut?