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PPD police dog Thor is now on Twitter and you need to follow him

By now, most local police forces have realized the usefulness of social media as an intelligence gathering and community outreach tool. The Philadelphia Police Department, in fact, is a notable example—so much so that even their dogs are getting in on the act. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Thor, the PPD’s Twitter-using dog.

By now, most local police forces have realized the usefulness of social media as an  intelligence gathering and community outreach tool. The Philadelphia Police Department, in fact, is a notable example—so much so that even their dogs are getting in on the act. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Thor, the PPD's Twitter-using dog.

Thor, a two-and-a-half-year-old German Shepherd, joined the PPD only recently, but proved himself as a valuable addition within the first week. Evidently, the little dude was born for police work:

"'He helped serve a warrant the other day where a guy was running out the back of the house, and we were there waiting. The guy surrendered peacefully, thanks to the presence of the dog,' Thor's handler says."

A fine police dog though he is, Thor's real value is in his apparent social media prowess. At it since around October, Thor's twitter account—@PPDK9Thor—has racked up more than 1,000 followers that flock to his page for doggie updates, selfies, and police news.

The concept of a dog on Twitter, while not necessarily a new one, does lend itself to some interesting interactions, especially considering the whole cop element. Consider, for example:

"Within seconds, he's able to personally connect with members of the community. He also sound off on whatever he wants, like this tweet: "I got my mind of Kibble and my Kibble on my mind #laiiiiddback.'

'Thor is very series about his job but also very serious about having fun. He loves the Police Department and the citizens of Philadelphia,' Gripp says."

See that? Everyone is keeping a straight face about this one. Follow Thor and you can try, too. Good luck.

[Fox]