McGruff the Crime Dog is an anthropomorphic cartoon dog, created for use by American police in building crime awareness among children. He debuted in February 1980.
McGruff reaches kids through commercials, songs and booklets from the National Crime Prevention Council, talking about drugs, bullying, safety and the importance of staying in school. The character is often used with his motto "Take a bite out of crime!"
Sportscaster Chris Berman, in a play on McGruff's name, gave baseball star Fred McGriff the nickname "Crime Dog." Berman is noted for his idiosyncratic player nicknames; however, his nickname for McGriff has entered into mainstream usage.
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