Meet “Officer Hops”, the health officer of the police station in Juba, a city in northern California. This idea first came as a joke and following a while it was accepted with great pleasure, says Chelsea McCready, a police officer.
Officer Hops’ official position in the police force is “health officer”, writes the BBC.
“I like how gentle he is, I think that’s what I like most regarding him. Being able to hold him and pet him is a great way to get away from the everyday things I see on the ground,” explains Michelle Brazil, a police officer in Juba.
Lepuri joined the police in 2022, following the police service focused on the mental health of its employees.
Meet the real-life Officer Hops! >> pic.twitter.com/orrYGS569w
— KALB News Channel 5 (@KALBtv5) April 6, 2023
“I stop to look at it every time I go there,” said police officer Ashley Carson, who found the rabbit following responding to one of the calls.
A few weeks later, the Juba Police Service adopted him. He constantly spends time at the police premises, walking from room to room, employees say.
“We have long-term positive effects from it. He is a wonderful little furry friend,” the police say./abcnews.al