Meet the Friskiest New Officer of the NYPD

[Guest Lancelot Arnold]

It was cold December in New York when a woman abandoned a sweet tabby kitten near a police precinct. When Brooklyn cops found the furry little orphan they convinced their boss to adopt him as their precinct mascot, shared pet and morale-booster.Officer Martin D. Costanza — for whom the cat was eventually named — and four other officers began lobbying for the cat to become a permanent pet. Deputy Inspector William Taylor, an animal lover, approved the precinct’s new rookie cop on one condition: somebody else cleans his litter box.Deputy Taylor has since been shelling out for the cat’s Sheba wet food and treats while other officers have chipped in to get him shots, neutered and micro-chipped.

And Martin the six-month-old tabby is quite comfortable with his new “beat” at Coney Island’s 60th precinct. He spends his days hunting mouse perps, getting treated to turkey scraps, and napping on the desks of his fellow officers.“He’s definitely lifted spirits. There’s not one person here, cop or civilian, that doesn’t adore this cat,” Deputy Taylor told the New York Post. Each morning Martin makes an appearance at roll call to “inspect everyone” and spread a little joy, Taylor said.Martin also has his own special baskets for napping, three different food stations and plenty of toys. And he seems to know when cops need a little TLC, officers said.“He cheers me up.” Deputy Taylor said. The guys come by and get a chuckle out of him, the ones who are having a hard day.”