April 18, 2006
Law & Order: Mounted Unit Division
As we love animals and learning about how the police department works, Gothamist loves today's NY Times article about the mounted unit of the NYPD and how it is now high crime areas. The NYPD will essentially double the number of horses on patrol over the next three years (from 75 to 160), because one mounted police officer can be as effective as 10 police officers. And the horses aren't in a union (they cost $4000) - they just want their hay! Police Commissioner Kelly says, "There's a reason we call them the 10-foot cop. You can see them from blocks away, they're great at crowd control and they're probably the most photographed piece of equipment we have. I'm a huge fan." The mounted police also help "break the ice" with some communities distrustful of the police - and also the horses are just pretty - nevermind the manure. What's amusing is that the NY Times photograph of mounted horses training to get used to "maneuvering through crowds" has horses pushing a huge ball, which must be exactly like throngs of roly poly tourists in Times Square; the audio slide show about the NYPD horses is cool, though. Why aren't there plush NYPD horsies for sale at the City Store?
The NYPD on their Mounted Unit ( The Mounted Unit pursues a four-fold mission which consists of Traffic Control, Crowd Control, Community Relations, and Prevention of Street crime.) There's a Columbia News Service article about the Mounted Unit - the officers repair their own saddles! But the Mounted Unit is looking for a new stable.
Photograph from Lanterna
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The mounted Police are brilliant! I love the concept of police on horses, makes me feel much safer than some fat ass leaning against a pole with a gun strapped to his hip. I can imagine how street crime would halt as a result of their presence, even the most dim-witted street thug wouldn't fancy the thought of being run down by a horse and struck on the back of the head by a billy club! Now that's justice.
In New Orleans, the police use Mules. Or at least they did when I was there in 2002. (at least I think they were mules, they could have been some odd breed of horse. I didn't grow up on a farm)
i wonder if they composte the waste in the stables.
This is cruelty to animals. How dare they enslave animals in their pursuit of imposing their totalitarian regime on everyone. Our civil rights are being eroded, people! Next thing, they'll be riding US!
Who cleans up their street poopies?
"to get used to "maneuvering through crowds" has horses pushing a huge ball, which must be exactly like throngs of roly poly tourists in Times Square..."
Glad to see being married hasn't eroded your sense of snark. Of course, the fact is that the ball does remind one of some of the fanny-pack crowd.
regarding poop and PETA, from the article:
"Then there are waste-related issues, although horse manure, boosters pointed out, quickly dries up and blows away."
"Although it is hard to find critics of mounted police — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals supports law enforcement's humane use of horses — some experts say their value is limited."
Wow, have gas prices gone up so much that we are reverting to horses already?
Heh, horse poop "blows away"...my Rockports beg to differ.
heh heh. mounted unit sounds dirty.
yes, i am 5 years old...
Are most of the horses male? Because a swift knock in the nutsack would bring both the horse and the cop down.
Not very useful now are they…