Six new riders completed training this week and are now with the Minneapolis police's mounted patrol.
6 new riders join Minneapolis police mounted patrol
The new additions bring the squad that helps with crowd control to 26 riders and 13 horses.
October 30, 2014 at 3:30AM
The officers went through their paces for five weeks at the Police Department's Maple Plain facility, "learning all aspects of law enforcement and community engagement while being on a horse," police spokesman John Elder said.
The patrol's roster now stands at 26 riders and 13 horses.
Mounted officers are commonly used for traffic stops, crowd control and even "active shooting situations," Elder said. The patrol also works streets and neighborhoods, participates in parades and attends community picnics and similar outreach events.
Possible assignments in the coming days include crowd control downtown during Halloween-related revelry and around TCF Bank Stadium, when the Vikings host the Washington Redskins on Sunday in a game that is being targeted by demonstrators outside the stadium who oppose the visiting team's nickname.
Created in 1996 with two riders and three horses, the mounted patrol also works streets and neighborhoods, participates in parades and attends community picnics and similar outreach events.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
