McGruff Plays Ball…With Congress

The Democrats squared off against the Republicans, but McGruff stuck to spreading goodwill—and safety tips!

By Jeff Broderson, NCPC Staff

McGruff the Crime Dog attended the 48^th annual Roll Call Congressional Baseball game this June 17 for the first time ever. The game was held at Washington, DC’s, gleaming new baseball stadium, Nationals Park, as the Democrats squared off against the Republicans.

With the assistance of NCPC staff and personnel from Beacon Consulting, a government relations consulting firm, McGruff got a chance to meet members of Congress and their staffers, interns, and families. McGruff was positioned at the entrance to the game so that the more than 4,000 fans got a chance to shake his hand and get a high five. More than 1,000 people, including 10 members of Congress, had their picture taken with McGruff.

Each picture taken with McGruff was printed on the spot and put into a “McGruff and Me” picture frame so that both adults and children could take their memory of meeting McGruff the Crime Dog® home with them. Each person who had their picture taken also got a McGruff pencil and either a Celebrate Safe Communities sticker or a McGruff Badge in addition to information on how they could keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe from crime.

If you would like to have McGruff the Crime Dog come to your event this summer, contact jbroderson@ncpc.org or 202-261-4136.