A mascot of the National Child Safety Council, the Roanoke Rapids Police Department will be using the dog to promote safety tips from crossing the street to Internet precautions and how to deal to with bullies and other dangerous people.

“He's like the Chick-fil-A cow,” Chief Thomas Hathaway said recently. “He's innocent and not a threat.”

Proceeds for the costume came mainly from numerous businesses in the community, the chief said. “A very limited amount of taxpayer dollars was used.”

Safetypup will appear at events like National Night Out and will be available for appearances at churches and civic organizations. “We're just trying to reach out to the community like our Citizens on Patrol and Citizens Police Academy,” Hathaway said. “The bottom line is we're here to be guardians of our neighbors and community.”

The Safetypup program will provide the police department with printed material that deal with pedestrian safety, friendly police, general safety and Internet safety. The materials also include lessons on good guys and bad guys, playground safety, inappropriate and appropriate touching as well as lessons in correctly calling 911, smoking and peer pressure booklets.

The drug education material begins at the first-grade level and provides material for parents to heighten involvement and reinforce the messages at home.