Downey Police turn to horses in effort for community engagement

Photo by Pam Lane, Downey Daily Photos

DOWNEY - McDaniel and Murray aren’t the only Captains in the Downey Police Department’s ranks.

DPD’s Mounted Police unit has become a staple at many of Downey’s community events, often drawing the wonder and amazement of children.

“We originally had [a mounted unit] back in 1994. It was – I believe – four horses at that time,” said Cpt. Mark McDaniel, who is a member of the current unit. “It was disbanded around 2000, late 1990’s. The officers came to the chief and I, and to our former chief requesting to start up the mounted unit again.”

It’s not a simple matter to become a mounted police officer.

According to McDaniel, any officer wanting to join the mounted unit would have to pass a rigorous 40-hour course; and it’s tough.

“It’s the hardest course I’ve ever been to other than the police academy,” said McDaniel. “Learning all the technicalities of riding a horse and doing police work while riding that horse; you have a 1000 to 1300-pound animal that you have to control in various situations.”

“There’s a lot of technical aspects to riding. You have to be confident, comfortable. It can be demanding on your body as well.”

It’s also costly.

“The department doesn’t purchase the horses; the officers do,” said McDaniel. “The burden of the expense is by the officers.”

Specifically, officers are looking for older, fair-tempered, and easily trainable horses, usually draft or quarter. Finding the right horse for the right officer could sometimes cost thousands of dollars.

Not only are officers responsible for purchasing their horse, they are also tasked with the boarding, feeding, and upkeep of their animal.

“Everything is the officers’,” said McDaniel. “The department and the city, they do provide some of the tack, the equipment – the saddle, the uniform, some of the gear that goes with the horse – but other than that…there’s buy in from everyone.”

Downey’s mounted unit currently consists of four officers, one officer actively looking for a horse, and one officer waiting to go through his schooling.

Then, of course, there’s Captain, Downey’s currently sole horse on the force.

“At this point right now, we’re down to one horse,” said McDaniel. “We are in the process of looking to acquire a couple more animals, a couple more horses. Our goal is to get up to four to six horses.”

Even still, in an era of police cars and bearcats, it’s unlikely that you will ever see a horse utilized in an enforcement role, at least in Downey.

What is more likely is that the mounted unit will be utilized more in a public relations and outreach role.

“What that does, it brings the community, these kids to the police officer. Now we have an interaction,” said McDaniel. “We want to interact; we want to be a part of the community. Relationships are so important with the community.”

“Those horses are a great tool to provide that interaction, those relationships.”