McGruff The Crime Dog Has Been In Prison For A Decade
John Morales, the actor who voiced McGruff the Crime Dog, has been in jail for a decade. His legal troubles began in 2011 when police discovered 1,000 marijuana plants, 27 weapons (including a grenade launcher), and 9,000 rounds of ammunition at his residence. The actor was sentenced to 16 years behind bars after pleading guilty to the charges.
U.S Judge Described Morales As Scary
Although Morales maintained that he was nonviolent during the hearing, U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore expressed concerns, stating, “Everything I read about you makes you seem like a scary person.” This suggests that the severity of the charges and the items found during the arrest contributed to the judge’s perception of Morales.
McGruff Has Been Around For 42 Years
McGruff the Crime Dog is an animated bloodhound created by the global advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi for the National Crime Prevention Council. He was introduced in 1980 in a series of public service announcements that educated citizens about personal safety to reduce crime. The dog’s name was selected as part of a nationwide contest in July 1980.
Famous For Anti-Crime PSAs
It took five creative teams (consisting of a copywriter and art director) to create McGruff the Crime Dog. For settling on the widely known law-enforcement character options included a golden retriever, a bulldog version of J. Edgar Hoover, an “aggressive-looking deputy dog,” and a “mongrel that becomes a wonder dog.”
Take A Bite Out Of Crime
McGruff the Crime Dog has encouraged Americans to actively take steps to reduce crime via television commercials, comic books, live appearances, and more. His favorite messages include locking doors, leaving the lights on when away from home, and letting neighbors know when you go on vacation. He also encourages folks to do things that build communities.
McGruff Hates Telemarketers
This includes creating neighborhoods where people look out for each other and kids feel safe. McGruff the Crime Dog has also made thousands of appearances at community and school events. Over time, his messages have changed to more broadly based crime concerns, including bullying, cyberbullying, online safety, telemarketing crime against seniors, identity theft, and safe firearm storage.
Police Departments Use McGruff
McGruff the Crime Dog costumes are used by police during outreach efforts involving children. There currently are thousands of McGruffs on duty (number of costumes in use). To get around, the character has a Corvette, a truck in Arizona, and a wiener wagon in Florida. But he usually prefers to ride in patrol cars assisting law enforcement.
McGruff Has Been Wildly Successful
The McGruff the Crime Dog’s campaign proved highly successful, securing over $100 million in donated free airtime within the first year and reaching over 50 percent of adults. From 1982 to 2012, several municipalities participated in the McGruff House program, offering temporary refuge to children facing immediate threats.
McGruff Is Still Part Of Pop Culture
In December 2021, McGruff the Crime Dog and the National Crime Prevention Council were featured in an episode of the animated sitcom Family Guy, focusing on preventing kidnapping. The return of McGruff garnered significant fan support. In April 2022, the National Crime Prevention Council teamed up with McGruff to establish Fentanyl Prevention Awareness Day.
John Morales played McGruff the Crime Dog in the late 1990s. The actor has about six years of jail time left.
