The Fort Smith Police Department in Arkansas has hired its very own ‘pawfficer’ as the newest addition of the team.
Staff in the department shared an adorable picture of their new blue-eyed kitten, who warmed the hearts of the community.
Writing on Facebook, the department wrote: ‘Introducing our Pawfficer, the newest member of the FSPD team.’
The post went on to ask members of the community to help think of a name for the gorgeous male kitten as he settles into his new home within the police department.
It continued:
In the next several days, we will be compiling names for our furry friend,’ the police department wrote. ‘We will be asking for the public to help us pick the purrrrfect name.
Followers were quick to rush to the post with suggestions for the kitty’s name, ranging from ‘Pistol’ and ‘Captain’ to ‘Chief’ and ‘Blueblood’.
One follower commented:
That baby is so cute. I have a male, we call him Smokey. I think the name stormy would be good or captain.
A second wrote:
How about honoring a policeman that died in the line of duty?
Another person even suggested keeping the name ‘Pawfficer’ as the kitty’s official name, and hundreds agreed by liking the comment.
According to reports in Fox 35, Fort Smith officers decided to adopt the kitten in a bid to connect with residents living in their city.
The department told the news station:
He will attend community and special events and generally be an online presence that will allow us to take a more informal approach to subjects that affect our community.
The entire project is designed to make the department more approachable and convey the lighter side of the department and what it means to be a police officer.
They also went on to say that the department hopes the adoption of its own kitten will inspire people living in Fort Smith to save an animal from local animal shelters.
Fort Smith officers will release a poll later this week for people to vote on the name for the kitten.
Blue would be a perfect name to match his gorgeous blue eyes, as well as the uniforms worn by the Fort Smith officers.
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Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.