Shortly after McGruff's introduction to the American public, many law enforcement agencies submitted requests to use the character for their local crime prevention activities. As a result, The Ad Council permitted NCPC to work with its first licensee, Walter W. Cribbins Co., to produce caps, mugs, t-shirts, key chains, and pencils for use by crime prevention practitioners. The McGruff campaign established a licensing program for several reasons. First, it protected the character from inappropriate uses, safeguarding McGruff's integrity as the nationally recognized symbol of crime prevention. Second, it offered an additional source of revenue for the National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign.
All licensees contribute a certain percentage of their sales to the campaign.
Finally, licensed products dramatically expand the audience for McGruff's crime, drug abuse, and violence prevention messages. At that point, the licensing program took off. By 1990, NCPC had seven licensees producing approximately 100 products. Today, McGruff's national licensing program provides more than 850 licensed educational products to crime prevention practitioners all over the country through its 29 licensees and one specialty products office. McGruff licensed educational products have evolved from five basic offerings to substantive educational programs and products such as personalized books for children, videos, audio cassette tapes, emergency telephone cards, costumes, robots, and other exciting products.