NCJ Number
151271
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 42 Issue: 9 Dated: (September 1994) Pages: 70-74
Date Published
1994
Length
5 pages
Annotation
These three articles describe the use of mounted police units in Los Angeles, New Mexico, and Wayne County (Mich.).
Abstract
The Los Angeles Police Department's unit was formed in 1981 as a volunteer program and became a full-time unit in 1988. The mounted unit has evolved from a method of crowd control into a multipurpose, all-weather, all-terrain tactical unit that is effective in several different areas. Much of the unit's time is spent in crime suppression. Officers assigned to the unit receive an initial 160 hours of basic training. Expansion of the unit is being considered. The New Mexico Mounted Patrol is a reserve organization that by law is independent of any regular policing agency. It assists law enforcement and regulatory agencies on request and under their control. The 300 volunteers take the 260 hours of State-mandated training, under the authority of the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy. When troopers are not on duty, they are considered private citizens. The Wayne County Sheriff's Posse consist of reserve deputies who volunteer their time for holiday season patrol in the large parking areas of the Fairlane shopping mall in Dearborn, Mich. The deputies are highly visible and can see over a wide area. The horses are able to go between parked cars during chases. Posse members buy all their own equipment and supply their own horses. They carry portable radios, but can carry weapons only if they have passed a firearms training course. A regular deputy who patrols the mall area in a conventional patrol car supervises the deputy. Photographs