HISTORY
The Lexington Mounted Police Unit began in 1982 with one horse and rider. The unit rapidly grew in the first year to five officers due to community support and has had as many as ten officers and ten horses assigned. There are currently four officers, a sergeant, and seven horses in the unit.
The unit initially stabled at the Kentucky Horse Park, but in 1996 moved into its own stables located a 575 West Sixth Street. The complex includes a 4,800 square foot barn with 12 stalls, an office and roll-call room, a 7,200 square foot indoor training arena, a storage barn for hay and maintenance equipment, and two paddocks and a pasture.
DUTIES
The unit's main duties include providing high visibility patrols to the Downtown Entertainment District and other selected areas of Lexington. In addition to having the same responsibilities as other police officers while on patrol, their duties also include providing demos, barn tours, and special events.
Mounted units are very effective for crowd control and management. Officers are positioned at approximately 9 feet while mounted giving them a distinct advantage to see over the assembly. They are able to identify problems and more efficiently move the crowd than officers on foot are capable of doing. A mounted officer can accomplish what 8-10 officers on foot are able to do.
TRAINING
Our training program is based on natural horsemanship principles where officers work together with their assigned horse partners to overcome the obstacles they are faced with every day on the street. New officers must successfully complete 10-12 weeks of basic training that includes grooming, first aid, ground work, equitation, formation riding, jumping, and other necessary skills. Regularly scheduled training for all officers and mounts occurs year round. In addition to the unit trainers assisting officers with issues that may develop, officers are also expected to train their horses outside of scheduled lessons.
HORSE REQUIREMENTS
Horses selected for The Lexington Police Mounted Unit must be at least 16 hands high and weigh approximately 1400 lbs. They must also possess a temperament suitable for the rigors and variety of sensory stimuli that are a part of policing the streets of downtown Lexington. We are always looking for another horse to join the unit and they are either purchased or donated. If you are interested in this, please contact Sergeant Byron Creekmore at bcreekmore@lexingtonpolice.ky.gov.
COMPETITIONS
Over the years the Lexington Mounted Police have competed in numerous competitions ranging all over the United States and Canada.
SPECIAL THANKS TO...
Trainers Helmut Graetz, Karen Winn, Shelby Hume, Stephanie Church, Shawna White, Melissa Brown, Stephanie Keelie, and Cheryl Andrews for the many hours spent over the years to help make the unit one of the top mounted units in the country. To Pat and Linda Parelli and the Parelli Natural Horsemanship group and Karen Scholl for the many training hours they have provided to the unit.
To the Kentucky Horse Park for its support and dedication to the National Mounted Police Colloquium held at the Horse Park every year in Lexington, KY.
To the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and Lexington Mayor for their support of the mounted unit.
