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Mounted
Police
Police
"A man on a horse is spiritually as
well as physically bigger than a man
on foot." ~John Steinbeck
well as physically bigger than a man
on foot." ~John Steinbeck
Politicians are always talking about saving money. I know...you can go ahead and
laugh at that one. When it comes to cutting costs within a police department that
maintains a mounted unit, those handsome animals are always in danger of
suffering cutbacks or being eliminated all together.
When you begin your police career, you're going to see a lot of wasteful spending
in the name of better law enforcement. The reason a mounted unit is always on
the block is because it is expensive to maintain a stable of mounts with all the
attendant costs of training and care for the horses.
Police chiefs are always talking about the importance of their police departments'
image, and the omnipresence of police officers. Personally...I've never seen a
police mounted unit that did not present an incredibly positive image, and, as far
as omnipresence goes, a cop on top of a horse is literally ten feet tall.
What I find unique to mounted police officers is their ability to be intimidating
without looking that way. I think the term passive intimidation would be a good
description. Having had the experience of commanding fifty police officers in a
crowd control situation where two opposing groups were trying to get at each
other, the entry of three mounted officers into the zone between the police lines
had a most amazing effect. All eyes were on the horses as the protesters in both
groups ceased their foreword movement. The shouting stopped, and the crowd
control officers easily straightened their lines without having to resort to pepper
spray, batons, or any other use of physical force.
While I never had the pleasure of commanding, or serving in, a mounted unit, I
did have the pleasure of one very up close encounter with a police mount.
laugh at that one. When it comes to cutting costs within a police department that
maintains a mounted unit, those handsome animals are always in danger of
suffering cutbacks or being eliminated all together.
When you begin your police career, you're going to see a lot of wasteful spending
in the name of better law enforcement. The reason a mounted unit is always on
the block is because it is expensive to maintain a stable of mounts with all the
attendant costs of training and care for the horses.
Police chiefs are always talking about the importance of their police departments'
image, and the omnipresence of police officers. Personally...I've never seen a
police mounted unit that did not present an incredibly positive image, and, as far
as omnipresence goes, a cop on top of a horse is literally ten feet tall.
What I find unique to mounted police officers is their ability to be intimidating
without looking that way. I think the term passive intimidation would be a good
description. Having had the experience of commanding fifty police officers in a
crowd control situation where two opposing groups were trying to get at each
other, the entry of three mounted officers into the zone between the police lines
had a most amazing effect. All eyes were on the horses as the protesters in both
groups ceased their foreword movement. The shouting stopped, and the crowd
control officers easily straightened their lines without having to resort to pepper
spray, batons, or any other use of physical force.
While I never had the pleasure of commanding, or serving in, a mounted unit, I
did have the pleasure of one very up close encounter with a police mount.
I just hope that mounted police units never become extinct. In a time when
traditions are constantly under attack, it would be ashame for police departments
to lose such a class act.
traditions are constantly under attack, it would be ashame for police departments
to lose such a class act.
It was on my last shift as a patrol officer the night before I was
promoted to sergeant. Two mounted units were in the district patrolling
a high crime area. The mounted officers got into a fight with a group of
bad guys, and the assist call came over the radio. I never made it to the
scene since other officers got there ahead of me, and the assist call was
called off.
I was still three blocks away as I stopped at a stop sign and turned off
my siren and roof lights. I was just about to cross over a wide
north/south thoroughfare and continue to the scene just to see what was
happening. Just as I began to move forward, I saw something moving
toward me from the darkened street I was about to enter. Yea...you
guessed it. It was a horse...but, just the horse.
The riderless mount came out of the street, and he made a left turn as
he continued to gallop northbound on the one-way southbound
thoroughfare. Needless to say, a horse running against traffic, even on
a fairly well lit thoroughfare, was not a good situation. The situation
was made worse since he'd entered a long stretch without any red lights
where drivers would often reach speeds of 50 mph or better.
I swung in behind him, and I turned on every light I had...high beam
headlights, red and blue roof lights, my door spotlight, and two spot
lights contained in the roof bar lights. I reasoned the lights would
sufficiently silhouette the horse so that southbound drivers couldn't
possibly miss what must have been an unusual sight. It worked better
than I'd hoped as southbound traffic continually moved to both curbs
and stopped. We were far from out of the woods, because just a few
blocks ahead was a major intersection, and I was hesitant to use my
siren for obvious reasons.
As we neared the intersection, and just as I'd determined to risk passing
the horse and race to the intersection to stop all traffic, the horse
stopped galloping, and he turned toward the sidewalk. He walked slowly
onto the sidewalk where he stopped and pressed his nose against the
wall of a rowhouse. Now came the hard part. I got out of my car and
slowly walked toward the horse. If you've ever spent any time around
horses, you know the look they give you from the corner of the eye.
It's a look that says you have no idea how that horse is going to react to
you.
I really had no choice but to grab onto his halter. I had a pretty big
audience by that time, and it would have been terribly embarrassing if
the horse decided to continue his odyssey. I moved slowly as I reached
out and put my hand around that leather. Seconds later I was petting
his head and talking dumb stuff to him just like I do with my dogs. The
best part came when the mounted officer arrived to retrieve his horse.
His gratitude was dwarfed only by his obvious affection for his horse,
and his relief that no harm had come to his mount.
promoted to sergeant. Two mounted units were in the district patrolling
a high crime area. The mounted officers got into a fight with a group of
bad guys, and the assist call came over the radio. I never made it to the
scene since other officers got there ahead of me, and the assist call was
called off.
I was still three blocks away as I stopped at a stop sign and turned off
my siren and roof lights. I was just about to cross over a wide
north/south thoroughfare and continue to the scene just to see what was
happening. Just as I began to move forward, I saw something moving
toward me from the darkened street I was about to enter. Yea...you
guessed it. It was a horse...but, just the horse.
The riderless mount came out of the street, and he made a left turn as
he continued to gallop northbound on the one-way southbound
thoroughfare. Needless to say, a horse running against traffic, even on
a fairly well lit thoroughfare, was not a good situation. The situation
was made worse since he'd entered a long stretch without any red lights
where drivers would often reach speeds of 50 mph or better.
I swung in behind him, and I turned on every light I had...high beam
headlights, red and blue roof lights, my door spotlight, and two spot
lights contained in the roof bar lights. I reasoned the lights would
sufficiently silhouette the horse so that southbound drivers couldn't
possibly miss what must have been an unusual sight. It worked better
than I'd hoped as southbound traffic continually moved to both curbs
and stopped. We were far from out of the woods, because just a few
blocks ahead was a major intersection, and I was hesitant to use my
siren for obvious reasons.
As we neared the intersection, and just as I'd determined to risk passing
the horse and race to the intersection to stop all traffic, the horse
stopped galloping, and he turned toward the sidewalk. He walked slowly
onto the sidewalk where he stopped and pressed his nose against the
wall of a rowhouse. Now came the hard part. I got out of my car and
slowly walked toward the horse. If you've ever spent any time around
horses, you know the look they give you from the corner of the eye.
It's a look that says you have no idea how that horse is going to react to
you.
I really had no choice but to grab onto his halter. I had a pretty big
audience by that time, and it would have been terribly embarrassing if
the horse decided to continue his odyssey. I moved slowly as I reached
out and put my hand around that leather. Seconds later I was petting
his head and talking dumb stuff to him just like I do with my dogs. The
best part came when the mounted officer arrived to retrieve his horse.
His gratitude was dwarfed only by his obvious affection for his horse,
and his relief that no harm had come to his mount.
ts
| Links to a few Mounted Police Units in the United States |
| The world's oldest continuous mounted police unit... |
The New South Wales Mounted Police is the oldest continuous
mounted police unit in the world. Founded in September 1825 by
Governor Thomas Brisbane, the Mounted Police were recruited from a
British military regiment stationed in NSW at the time to protect
travellers and suppress convict escapees. For over a century they
were a key part of policing as horses were the main form of transport.
Duties include traffic and crowd management, patrols, and ceremonial
protocol duties. The 34 horses used today are bay geldings, 16 hands
high and include a number of ex-race horses. They are between three
and seven years old when received and retire at about 20 years of
age.
The New South Wales Mounted Police perform the Musical Ride at
Sydney shows and at larger country shows. The musical ride consists
of a series of precision drill movements performed in time to the music
of the New South Wales Police Band, over an area measuring 100
metres by 50 metres and is approximately 20 minutes duration. This
exhibition has received acclaim from many overseas visitors and is
considered to be one of the most spectacular rides in the world.
Inspector (ret) D H EYB APM (then Commander of the NSW Mounted
Police Unit) was responsible for the training, co-ordination and
presentation of 120 horses and riders for the welcome segment of the
Opening Ceremony at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. The lances
carried by NSW Mounted Police Unit, whilst on parade were presented
to the Troop in 1957 by General Carriapa, High Commissioner for India.
mounted police unit in the world. Founded in September 1825 by
Governor Thomas Brisbane, the Mounted Police were recruited from a
British military regiment stationed in NSW at the time to protect
travellers and suppress convict escapees. For over a century they
were a key part of policing as horses were the main form of transport.
Duties include traffic and crowd management, patrols, and ceremonial
protocol duties. The 34 horses used today are bay geldings, 16 hands
high and include a number of ex-race horses. They are between three
and seven years old when received and retire at about 20 years of
age.
The New South Wales Mounted Police perform the Musical Ride at
Sydney shows and at larger country shows. The musical ride consists
of a series of precision drill movements performed in time to the music
of the New South Wales Police Band, over an area measuring 100
metres by 50 metres and is approximately 20 minutes duration. This
exhibition has received acclaim from many overseas visitors and is
considered to be one of the most spectacular rides in the world.
Inspector (ret) D H EYB APM (then Commander of the NSW Mounted
Police Unit) was responsible for the training, co-ordination and
presentation of 120 horses and riders for the welcome segment of the
Opening Ceremony at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. The lances
carried by NSW Mounted Police Unit, whilst on parade were presented
to the Troop in 1957 by General Carriapa, High Commissioner for India.
Source: Wikipedia
New South Wales, Australia
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