The unofficial mascot for the West Texas A&M University Police Department is ... the Annabelle doll.
The police department shared its origin story on Monday, saying it all began several years ago, but now the doll has become a way to "interact with the community and build rapport with the students."
"Several years ago an officer decided to prank another officer," said police. "One of our officers purchased a vintage doll then repainted it to look like a character from a horror movie."
The police department said the doll was placed on a dirt road, where the officer was sent to check on a property.
"Sometime after midnight, the officer drove up on the doll standing in the middle of a deserted road, holding a knife," said police. "Needless to say, the prank worked."
Soon the doll was used to prank other members of the police department, along with students and staff.
Now the doll can often be photographed in various locations across the Amarillo area. But it all began with the dirt road photos on the night of the first prank.
"Often staff members would come in to their offices in the morning to find Annabell sitting at their desk," said police. "Students in the residence halls would find Annabelle in the elevators of their dorm. Annabelle would sometimes send encouraging messages to officers working shift."
