Exchange Club donates $1K toward Troy PD McGruff program

Published 3:00 am Friday, September 20, 2019

The Troy Exchange Club presented a $1,000 check to the Troy Police Department to continue the force’s popular McGruff the Crime Dog program.

Detective Michael O’Hara told the group that their donation, along with the donations of other civic organizations and community members, allows the police department to utilize this important tool for reaching out to children about safety.

“We could not have this program without your donations,” O’Hara said.

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The crime dog mascot is a big hit, O’Hara told the group, making appearances at local schools and daycares to connect with kids about the importance of staying safe.

In addition to the suit, the donations fund an entire curriculum geared toward helping kids understand important safety measures in a child-friendly format.

O’Hara particularly praised the fingerprint identification kit, which gets the parents involved in a hands-on way, which he said is a key component of keeping children safe.