Mounted Police Officer

In the Wild West, practically everyone rode a horse (or was pulled by one in a buggy): Postal Workers, Cattle Drivers, Lawyers, Merchants, Miners — everyone. Today, however, most people spend their days mounted to car seats and office chairs — one notable exception being Mounted Police Officers, who still roam the streets on horseback like their Wild West forebears.

As a Mounted Police Officer, you’re part of a special “Mounted Patrol Unit” in your city’s police force. It’s your job as a member of this elite unit to patrol the streets — just like a normal Police Officer — enforcing laws, catching criminals, and maintaining the peace. Unlike traditional Police Officers, however, who do their patrols in squad cars, you do yours on the back of a specially trained police horse.

Many U.S. cities employ Mounted Police Officers, especially in crowded downtown areas, where getting around is often faster and easier on horseback than by car. If you’re a Mounted Police Officer in one of these cities, you’re utilized on a daily basis for crime control; after all, you’re 10 feet tall on horseback, allowing you to see over great distances while acting as a visible crime deterrent. In addition, you’re called upon to assist with search-and-rescue efforts, and for crowd control during special events, concerts, parades, sporting events, and protests.

Perhaps your most important duty, however, is community building: Because they’re so beloved, horses often help dissolve social barriers and increase personal contact between Police Officers and the public, resulting in safer, happier neighborhoods — making you equal parts “Horse Whisperer,” “Crime Fighter” and “Peacemaker”!