HILLSBOROUGH, NC (WNCN/CNN) - A North Carolina police lieutenant has quite the partner.
Meet Officer Mercy Meow.
"It's not many places you get to come to work with one of your good friends," said Lt. Andy Simmons of the Hillsborough Police Department.
Simmons met Mercy only a few months ago.
"They found three cats that had previously been on Facebook Marketplace that somebody tried to get to use for bait for dog fighting," Simmons said.
Simmons knew it was meant to be. He adopted Mercy and then brought her to work.
"I wouldn't say it started as an official plan if you ask chief," Simmons said.
So, what does a lieutenant and his officer cat do on the job?
"People will say that we're co-dependent at this point," he said.
Anywhere you find Simmons you always find Mercy not too far away.
But with the two together, the hope is that they can make a bigger and better impact.
“Her overall purpose is to make people smile, have a good time, hang out,” he said. “She’ll use officers for jungle gym. She’ll climb up, sit on their shoulders. (She) greets everybody, I mean we’ll stop in here to pat her.”
Lt. Simmons says once Mercy retires, she’ll spend her days with his family at home.
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