BROKEN ARROW, Okla — Broken Arrow police will officially have a certified mounted patrol unit by the end of the weekend.
The Oklahoma County Sheriffs Office conducted the certification training at the Hilltop Fairgrounds in Muskogee. Whether it be flares, fireworks, gunfire, or Halloween inflatables - the horses experienced it all.
Det. Conner Poole, With Broken Arrow police, initiated the idea, and the city approved it.
“I thought it was just a standard practice in law enforcement to have this type of unit," Poole said. "Once I got into my own career, I found out we didn’t have one.”
In the training scenarios, officers look to see how steady the horses are in high stress situations. If they’re ever called to control a crowd, or do a search and rescue, their mounts won’t be scared. Throughout Saturday’s chaos, the majority of the horses weren’t scared a bit.
Det. Poole’s has a horse and is involved in the mounted patrol, as well. His name is Smoke, and he's 12-years-old. He was primarily a ranch horse. Others were used for horseback riding
The horses live with the officers, and will only get called to work if needed. They trust their officers, since after all, they’re also their caregivers.
After completing the training, the unit will make its first public appearance at this year's Rooster Days Festival.
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