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| Mounted Horse Unit | ||||||||
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Mounted Horse Unit
in Focus The Fresno County Sheriff’s Department Mounted Patrol Unit was established in March of 1997. The original personnel makeup of the unit consisted of one full time sergeant and four reserve deputies. Much of the unit’s early activity was centered on patrolling specific areas including but not limited to Avocado lake and Courthouse Park. Mounted Deputies – And Duties There are currently 6 Deputies and 1 Sergeant assigned to the unit. There is one full time Deputy, one collateral duty Deputy and four
All personnel assigned to the unit are required to pass a 40-hour P.O.S.T. certified training class, showing proficiency in conducting law enforcement activities from horseback. After successfully completing the course, and passing an evaluation with the unit Sergeant, riders are allowed to patrol with their equine partners. Typical mounted patrol assignments include proactive work at County parks such as Skaggs Bridge, Lost Lake, Avocado Lake and Courthouse Park. Unit members may also be assigned to patrol County islands and related areas including Sunnyside, Old Fig Garden and Tarpey Village. More specialized assignments might include working events with large numbers of people, searching for lost persons, and serving in protocol functions not limited to parades and dignitary protection. The unit serves a very special function as an ambassador of the Sheriff’s Department to the citizens of Fresno County. Unit members and their horses visit schools, public functions and neighborhood meetings to talk about safety and explain how the mounted unit can be a valuable tool in fighting crime. Sheriff's Department Horses The Fresno County Sheriff’s Department owns and uses
Standard bred Geldings. Reserve Deputies who own their own horses typically Training In addition to the 40-hour course previously mentioned, many hours of training take place every month to ensure both the riders and horses skills are kept sharp. Along with maintaining basic horsemanship skills, sensory training is paramount. Sheriff’s Department horses are consistently exposed to objects and sounds they may encounter while out in public. Items commonly introduced into the horse’s environment for training purposes include balloons, barricades, tarps and tents, flags, fireworks and loud noises such as sirens and sound systems. |
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Reserve Deputies. The unit is actively recruiting collateral duty deputies who serve on a part time basis while working a typical patrol beat or other assignment inside the department.
use Quarter Horse Geldings. Horses are chosen for service using many criteria. Size, color and conformation are a few factors, but the most important attribute is a temperament suitable for law enforcement work. All horses used by unit members must be certified through the same 40-hour course the rider must attend. The horses currently in the unit include Sunny, Fig, Tarpey Joe, Buck, Luke, Easy, Rojo, Dano and Spike. An animal husbandry program has been instituted using inmates from the Fresno County Jail to help maintain Sheriff’s Department horses and related equipment..jpg)
