What Are Your Ideas For An NYPD Mascot?
March 20, 2011, 6:22 p.m.
adrian in japan's flickr Did you know that the Tokyo Metropolitan
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/98599181@N00/646592734/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">adrian in japan's flickr</a>
Did you know that the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has its own mascot? Named Pipo-kun, he was created in 1987 to encourage friendlier relations between citizens and the police department. His name is pronounced “Pee-Po”, taken from “PEople” and “POlice”, and he sometimes looks a little like Mighty Mouse. He shows up at any Tokyo police event, has some brother and sister mascots, and even has his own theme song! So it got us thinking: why doesn't the NYPD have a mascot?
Sure, there's McGruff the Crime Dog, but he isn't showing up at every NYPD event, nor is his face on cop cars. He isn't synonymous with the NYPD the way that Pipo-kun is with the Tokyo police. So what are your ideas for an NYPD mascot? We'll go one further: if you are artistically minded, illustrate your idea for an NYPD mascot, send it to us at tips@gothamist.com, and we'll put up the best ones this week. We won't worry about a theme song for now.
