Setting the Benchmark For Police Excellence

MOUNTED PATROL

(L to R) Officer C. Alley, Officer O. B. Wilson, Officer R. Huneycutt, Officer R. Springer (L to R) Max, Bay-sic Instinct, Amy, Knight Mare

The Portsmouth Police Mounted Patrol Unit is one of only two Mounted Units in the Tidewater area serving Police Departments and is a very integral part of the department.

Officer R. Springer and Knight Mare

The Mounted Officers are trained to perform patrol officer tasks from horseback with the exception of transporting prisoners. Some of these duties are listed below.

• Make arrests                                   
• Observes large crowds at various festivities and events.
• Issue Parking tickets
• Hostile and Non-hostile crowd control
• Issue Traffic Summonses
• Escorts individuals or vehicles
• Traffic Control
• Assists Uniform Patrol on calls for service
• Career Days at schools            
• Parades and Special Events
• Special Operations              

The horses and officers are a very high visibility unit seen around the Downtown and Olde Town areas as well as other parts of the city during routine patrol or at special functions.

They always draw a crowd of kids and adults alike when they stop to talk to citizens, wherever they are.

The unit is more than a ceremonial unit and is assigned to patrol the streets of Portsmouth.  The unit is sometimes assigned to problem areas and are very effective in this role. In the past year the Mounted Officers, while on horseback, have arrested a bank robbery suspect  as well as drug dealers in problem areas.

The Mounted Patrol Unit is supervised by Lt. D. Stokes.  He can be reached at 757-393-5218.

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