FLORENCE, Ala. (AP) - The whispers of “they’re coming,” and “they’re right over there” can be heard moving through the crowd with anticipation as fingers start pointing, and the excitement can be seen building in the eyes of children and adults.
People scrambling for cameras in hopes of getting a quick snapshot as the crowd opens. Suddenly, members of the Florence Police Mounted Patrol Unit appear.
The crowds migrate toward the horses and the police officers, taking photos of the well-groomed animals and their riders, or photos of children petting the horses, or “selfies” of themselves with the animals.
With a calm and almost expectant nature, the animals and their armed riders absorb the attention.
“It’s nice to be the good guy,” said Florence Police Officer Brian Berry, the mounted unit’s team leader. “People want to come up and talk with us. On the street (in a patrol car) you’re pulling someone over or arresting someone. It’s a nice change.”
“It really gives us a closer connection to the people,” added officer Guy Lambert, a member of the mounted unit.
For more than 30 years the mounted patrol has been a unique aspect of the Florence Police Department.
“They serve two roles - a functional role and a public relations role,” Police Chief Ron Tyler said.
He said the horses and riders train each year in Mobile during Mardi Gras.
“They have class during the day, and then in the afternoon and evenings they work the crowds,” Tyler said. “They learn how to manage crowds, move through the crowds, and even how to move the crowds if needed. The mounted unit can move quickly from place to place in case of a call. And having them elevated above the crowds gives them an advantage.
“The community loves them and supports them,” the police chief said. “People are drawn to those horses and the riders.”
The unit has four horses and six riders - officers Wes Shaddix, Jonathan Richey, Matt Minor, Justin Mason, Lambert and Berry. Sgt. Robby Talcott is the unit supervisor.
Talcott said the unit works special events, such as the W.C. Handy Music Festival, the Spirit of Freedom Celebration, and First Fridays. They also patrol heavy shopping areas and the downtown area.
“We do school programs and have done programs with the Boy Scouts,” Talcott said. He hopes the unit can continue to work with the Boy Scouts on their horsemanship badges.
He said the mounted unit also has been used to help locate lost children during large events.
Lambert said the group members try to ride as much as possible during their off time. He said the officers are on different shifts, so it’s hard to train as a unit.
“But we train as often as we can, and work with the horses. They have to trust you to work with you,” Lambert said.
Berry said the officers are the caregivers of the horses.
“Being a part of the unit is a commitment on behalf of the officers,” Tyler said.
Berry said the mounted officers always ride together, never alone, and they try to ride in formation.
“Just in case we have to get off the horse, we have another officer there to hold the horse and give us backup,” Berry said.
Talcott said the local mounted unit is one of only a few units north of Birmingham.
“We’re proud to have them here, as a part of our department,” said Mayor Mickey Haddock. “It’s just another tool for our department to use to protect our citizens. And they are a great attraction. People are drawn to them like magnets. They love the horses.”
Talcott said using the mounted patrol unit in the business district hopefully works as a deterrent to would-be criminals.
“They can ride through the parking lots looking for car burglars and in business areas, which hopefully will be a deterrent to possible shoplifters,” Talcott said.
“They are very visible. If you are someone up to no good, and you see these guys, it is a deterrent,” Tyler said. “The unit is a useful part of the department.
“We’re proud of the job these officers and the mounted patrol unit do, and the role they play in our department,” he said. “And from the response we get from the public, the community is proud of them also.”
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Information from: TimesDaily, https://www.timesdaily.com/
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