By COLIN M. STEWART
Tribune-Herald staff writer
Halloween has come and gone, and residents have put their costumes on ice for another year.
But one special breed of do-gooder continues to don the instantly recognizable — and swelteringly hot — headpiece, paws and trench-coat of McGruff the Crime Dog, announcing to keiki everywhere that crime better take an extended vacation.
For years, Big Island students have learned lessons about the dangers of crossing the street, bullying, drugs and truancy, to name a few, from McGruff, an enormous, anthropomorphic bloodhound. Now, Hawaii Police Department’s Community Policing Division has asked for and been promised $2,061 to buy a second costume, allowing officers to bring McGruff’s message to children in both East and West Hawaii with more frequency.
“It’s kind of like going to Disneyland and seeing Mickey Mouse,” explained County Councilman Dennis Onishi, who requested the money for the second suit from his county discretionary fund. The full council approved his request on Wednesday.
“My understanding is it does have an impact, especially on younger kids,” he said. “They are so happy McGruff is coming to their school. It catches their attention.”
While $2,000 may seem like a lot of money for a costume, Onishi said that the county’s current McGruff costume has seen a lot of action over the years and continues to look good and operate well, despite developing a bit of a smell.
“I don’t know how long they’ve had the original one, and I’m not sure how much they had it dry cleaned, but there’s an odor that’s started to build up,” Onishi said. “It gets hot in there. They (officers) usually can only last 15 minutes to a half hour.”
Lt. John Briski, former head of the Community Policing Division, has helped to organize McGruff events, and has even worn the costume many times.
“It’s not very comfortable,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s warm. You have limited sight. I wouldn’t want to be in it for much longer than 15 or 20 minutes, because it’s that hot.”
Included in Onishi’s request is $300 for a cooling vest. The piece accommodates frozen inserts that help to make the toasty confines of the character’s large trench-coat a little more bearable.
The large McGruff headpiece also includes a fan and battery to help circulate air.
Robotronics, the company that sells the McGruff costumes, also offers a pricier, animated version of the costume that comes with a fan-cooled head with two batteries, a charger, and a sound and electronics belt — costing a total of $3,594, compared to the lower-tech option selected by the HPD that costs $1,698 by itself.
The officers who wear the costume — there are 12 school resource and community policing officers on the island who have completed training and are certified to do so — have to be animated, but also must refrain from speaking, Briski said.
That way, they can keep the character consistent when children see him portrayed by different actors at different events — a policy similar to that used by Disney.
“It can be tough to convey a message without saying anything … but when you have the right person in the suit with the right personality, it works,” he said. “I’ve always had a positive reaction at the different events I’ve gone to. Some kids get nervous or scared, but usually they’re happy to see you.”
At McGruff’s side, another officer usually plays the role of “handler,” he said.
“They stay nearby to make sure you don’t step on a little kid or something like that. They’ll tell a story, share lessons. But, sometimes, they’ll surprise you. … They’ll tell all the kids about my special ‘McGruff dance.’ And I don’t have any dance prepared, but now the kids want to see one. So you have to be impromptu. … Afterwards, you have a laugh about it.”
It can be uncomfortable, but ultimately the exercise is a valuable one — not only for the keiki, but for the man inside the costume, Briski said.
“All too often, as a police officer you only see the negative side of things. It’s refreshing to be able to help kids and have them see you in a positive light,” he said.
Email Colin M. Stewart at cstewart@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
