Birmingham Police Mounted Patrol
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The Birmingham Police Mounted Patrol is a special unit of the Birmingham Police Department that utilizes officers on donated horses on regular patrols and in crowd control and public relations assignments, including representing the department in the inaugural parades for presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
The unit was created in the mid 1970s. It is currently made up of seven officers who work out of stables near UAB. About half the horses donated, between 8 and 10 years old, are accepted after initial screening. They are then trained and conditioned for police work. They are usually retired in their mid-20s, but one of the first horses, Booger Red, was active at the age of 35, retiring in 2002.
Horses
- Apache, died on duty from a collision with a pick-up truck in 1998
- Booger Red, retired 2002
- Pistol, active
See also
References
- Reynolds, Ed (May 18, 2006) "Walking Tall: Patrolmen on Horseback bring a visible presence to their beats." Black & White.