ERRILLVILLE — The local police department has sworn in its first auxiliary officer and he is likely to be familiar to fans of the “Fox & Friends” television show.

The new auxiliary officer is Lawrence B. Jones, who is known for his signature storytelling and “man-on-the-street” segments as co-host of “Fox & Friends,” the town announced.

“My job here is not to do anything different than your cops have already been doing on the street, but to help bring our communities together,” said Jones, who was sworn in Tuesday night by the town council.

“I have a passion for the K-9 program,” he said. “I know the work and the healing that they can bring to communities, not just from a law enforcement standpoint, but for the kids to have heroes, people to look up to like they already do today.”

Merrillville Police Chief Kosta Nuses said, “As an auxiliary police officer, Jones will perform a variety of duties, including participating in qualified ride-alongs with police to help share what Merrillville officers experience and what the department is able to accomplish with limited funding.”

Jones confirmed to the Times he will not do any official public relations or information dissemination work with the department. He said he’ll serve at the mercy of Nuses.

“Lawrence will be working closely with us to amplify our story, ensuring that the public understands who we are, what we stand for and how we serve our community,” Nuses said. “In addition, his experience in K-9 training will also help enhance our force as we continue to grow and evolve.”

Jones, who is not being paid, will reportedly take part in a law enforcement training course that will grant him limited police powers. These powers include assisting in non-law-enforcement duties, such as administrative support, traffic management, support at crime scenes and community policing, all under the direct supervision of a sworn officer, the chief said.

Jones will not be carrying a weapon, Nuses said. If that is considered later, he would first be required to take part in further training.

“Lawrence’s role isn’t just about policing, it’s about fostering a deeper connection with the community, staying transparent and showing that we’re always striving to improve,” Nuses said.

The auxiliary officer position was created last year with the idea of hiring police retirees in civilian records/secretary positions, according to the chief.

“This translates into the auxiliary officer being able to handle time consuming routines that require a sworn officer, but are not complex aspects of law enforcement,” he said.

“It’s no secret that we need more officers, this was an outside the box approach to try and get more police services without spending any more money,” Nuses said. “In this case, we chose to bring Lawrence Jones on board because we feel he could help us establish a better positive perception with the public enhancing police and public relations.”

Jones later clarified he would not be engaging in any official public relations efforts but acknowledged that police departments like Merrillville’s need more funding to do their jobs at the highest level.

“I don’t want to be a lobbyist. I just want to set an example,” Jones said. “There’s a lack of resources in policing today. That doesn’t make us safer. To be frank, a lot of departments can’t hire people, they don’t have the resources to do that.”

Jones further wants to assist the department’s K9 unit by lending some of his expertise in training, all free of charge.

“I want everybody in America to see what Merrillville is and see what we have to offer and come here,” the chief said.

The relationship between Jones and the town developed through a shared connection with Baden K-9, which is a service dog training company in Ontario, Canada.

The company trained all of Merrillville’s K-9 dogs and partnered with Jones in 2023 to make a contribution that helped bring K-9 Yaga to the Merrillville Police Department, Nuses said.

Merrillville has reportedly received about $25,000 worth of dogs and services from Baden and Jones.

“Jones has already made a significant impact on our Police Department, and we’re thrilled to have him serve as an auxiliary officer,” Town Council President Rick Bella said.

“I’d like to thank Chief Nuses for coordinating this endeavor to strengthen our connection with the public by bringing more attention to The Heart of the Region.”