NEWS BLOG                                                                     2012 Feb

Congratulations to our Mounted Police Units!

We were pleased to participate in the recent Genesee Valley Equine Clinic Horse Health Seminars in early February.  Each year they present the distinguished Horse Educator of the Year Award and this year was particularly special to me because the honor went to my fellow mounted officers, the Rochester Police Department and Monroe County Sheriff’s Mounted Units!  The tribute was highlighted with the fact that these officers educate the public all day long, every day about horses and police work.  After all, no one asks to pet a police car!

I’ve had the honor to train and compete with officers from Rochester Police and Monroe County Sheriff’s mounted units.   Training with them side by side for crowd control, search & rescue, vehicle extrication, mounted arrest techniques, street survival techniques, night operations and of course obstacle training, their dedication and professionalism is always apparent.   Another highlight of being a part of a mounted unit is participating in regular police equestrian tournaments.  At the North American Police Equestrian Championships in Morristown, New Jersey I had the pleasure to be paired with Sgt. Michael Horst, Monroe County Sherriff’s Department, in the Team Obstacle Division.  The objective is to remain “boot to boot” with your teammate while negotiating each of the obstacles in a controlled manner. The pictures display some of the creative obstacles and precision required. 

Certainly, it is without a doubt that the mounted units across the country uphold a great service to our communities.  They present a dedicated and approachable presence with extensive hours of training time in each horse and rider.  My sincere congratulations to our local mounted units for receiving the deserved recognition of Educators of the Year!