NEWS

Traveling moose comes to Cincinnati to protect police officers

Cameron Knight
cknight@enquirer.com
Mr. Moosey, a gift to a Pennsylvania police office from a 5-year-old girl, now travels the country to help keep officers safe. He's in Cincinnati for the week.

Mr. Moosey has made a stop in Cincinnati on its around-the-world mission to keep first responders safe.

The stuffed toy landed at the Cincinnati Police Department Thursday. It's just the latest Mr. Moosey journey.

The moose became a protective talisman after he was given to Towamencin, Pennsylvania police officer James Gibbas late last fall, according to 6abc Action News who first reported the story.

Gibbas said he was on a traffic stop when the 5-year-old daughter of the driver, Mackenzie Brown, rolled down her window.

"She was holding a stuffed moose out of the window and tried giving him to me," Gibbas said on Mr. Moosey's Facebook page. "I tried to politely say no thank you, but was told she wanted me to have him so he could keep me safe. Clearly there was no way to say no to that!"

For a short time, Gibbas kept Mr. Moosey's powers for himself, but he said he decided that would be selfish.

Since then, the moose has been to police and fire departments throughout the country, even traveling through Mackenzie's father's own department, where his family learned of the impact their daughter has had on first responders.

He's helped in Chicago, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He served alongside members of the Air National and U.S. Marshals. In New York, he worked shifts in the Central Park Precinct and the NYPD Intel-Terrorism Office.

In Cincinnati, Mr. Moosey has been partnered with Officer Eric Gilbert from District II for the next week. The Cincinnati Police Department will be posting daily updates on Moosey and Gilbert's adventures each at 4 p.m. on the department's Facebook page.