In Yuba City, California, the local police have welcomed a brand new member in the person of a rabbit, named Percy. Invested as a well-being agent, he helps police officers to better manage their stress after their interventions.
The Easter bunny arrived a little early in the police station in Yuba City, a Californian town located about forty kilometers north of Sacramento. Only here, it is not a question here of a chocolate rabbit but of a real rabbit in flesh and bone.
Named Percy, the bunny was an abandoned pet and was picked up in October 2022 by a Yuba City police officer. Since then, Percy has become the mascot of the police and even officially occupies a strategic and crucial position at the police station.
The rabbit has become a «welfare officer» with the Yuba City Police Force, as can be learned from the police station’s Facebook account. He even has his own office.
A rabbit to improve the well-being of police officers
His mission is simply to support the daily morale of his colleagues in uniform. In fact, his mere presence helps police officers to decompress and better manage their stress upon their return from intervention.
“Being able to hug him, pet him and take a step back from the situation is essential for my mental well-being,” Michelle Brazil, a police officer from Yuba City, told local media WBRC.
Unsurprisingly, Percy is obviously unanimous within the police station. Its mission is part of the broader framework of better management of the mental health and general well-being of police officers.
Sometimes the police take the rabbit to community events or interventions in schools. Moreover, Percy is the main attraction of the police station when the children come to visit it during school outings.
In addition, according to the local press, the police rabbit is a great communication operation because it manages to bridge “the gap between citizens and the police, creating a climate of trust and putting a smile on everyone’s face”.