On the Internet, Nobody Knows You're a Crime Dog

New York Times | June 27, 2005 | Jane L. Levere

[infocats]

McGruff the Crime Dog is now walking a new beat.

Over the last quarter of a century, McGruff, the trench-coat wearing, crime-fighting, advertising icon, has conveyed public service messages on behalf of the National Crime Prevention Council.

His message has gradually broadened to included participation in neighborhood watch groups, taking steps to prevent child violence and bullying. His new campaign, introduced earlier this month, is taking him in a different direction: identity theft.

"The nature of crime is ever-evolving," said Alfonso E. Lenhardt, president and chief executive of the National Crime Prevention Council. "It's still a significant factor in all of our lives. In 2003, 24 million people were victimized by some type of crime. There's so much out there that still needs to be done."

The timeliness of the identity theft campaign, and of its predecessors, has made McGruff a durable figure. He was first introduced on July 1, 1980, and today marks the start of the publicity campaign for his 25th birthday (or 175th in dog years).