NCPC's TCQRC Safeguards McGruff's Image

McGruff the Crime Dog and the "Take A Bite Out Of Crime" slogan are licensed trademarks, registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. NCPC safeguards these symbols of the National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign through its Trademark Control and Quality Review Committee (TCQRC), a group of NCPC employees that meets regularly to review requests to use McGruff. Guidelines for McGruff® and Related Marks help prospective users understand what McGruff can and cannot do, support, and wear. For example, "McGruff may not be shown holding a weapon of any type or any weapon-like object, or behaving in a threatening manner."

The TCQRC reviews requests for everything from McGruff's image on law enforcement websites to using his image on letterhead. Recently, the Plowshare Group developed a partnership with the Major League Baseball Players Association, Major League Baseball, and Topps® trading cards on behalf of NCPC to disseminate free trading cards with prevention and safety information for children. McGruff appeared with six top players: the New York Yankees' Derek Jeter, former Boston Red Sox player Nomar Garciaparra, Chicago Cubs' Sammy Sosa, Seattle Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki, St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols, and Toronto Blue Jays' Carlos Delgado.

Unfortunately, not all uses of McGruff are appropriate and approved. The TCQRC polices use and where McGruff is used wrongly, sends a "cease and desist" message to violators.

Because McGruff is well recognized and trusted, many people have tried to tie their business to him. McGruff, however, never endorses persons, products, or companies. Misuses of McGruff's image are often reported by observant crime prevention practitioners, our eyes and ears in the field.

If you observe a possible misuse of McGruff, please call us at 202-466-6272. We'd also like to hear when you see good uses of McGruff.  To learn more about using McGruff's image, visit www.ncpc.org and click on "All About McGruff" "Use of McGruff and Related Marks." To receive a free printed copy, call 800-NCPC-911.