Features

City Police on Horseback

Making a Comeback in the Metro

 

Henry Garfias was a heckuva man—and a heckuva lawman. You probably don’t know his name, but most Arizona badmen did.
Case in point: in the 1880s, Garfias went out to arrest an outlaw named Oviedo, who was wanted on a variety of charges.  He’d also threatened to kill Garfias if the two had run into each other. Garfias knew no fear.  He walked straight up to Oviedo and ordered him to surrender. The bad man pulled a shotgun and opened up from almost point blank range. He missed—and dropped dead, hit by two bullets from Garfias’ pistol.  It wasn’t the first and wouldn’t be the last time that the lawman showed remarkable bravery in the line of duty.

 

In 1881, Henry Garfias became the first town marshal of Phoenix, riding the dusty streets and nearby roads of what was then a small town of 2500 residents.  And he set a standard that’s still followed by the Phoenix Police Department.

 

Today’s Phoenix is obviously much larger and much changed. More than 1.5 million folks live in the city, and the metro area counts a population of more than three and a half million. And it’s one of the fastest growing areas in the country. But Garfias would recognize one unit in the department he helped start: the mounted patrol, which was reintroduced in 1997. Some 60 officers ride horses on patrol, working various shifts and districts. It’s a highly prized position; once an officer is accepted to the unit, he (or she) rarely leaves it.

 

Get a horse.
Phoenix isn’t alone in reaching back to its past. Las Vegas, Oklahoma City and Denver all have mounted units. There are a number of reasons for it.

 

First, they can be intimidating—the mounted officer’s head may reach ten feet up. They can see over crowds, or over fences. And that size can act as a deterrent, since the mounted patrol can be seen from long distances.

 

They also pack a punch. Folks tend to move when confronted by a horse and rider weighing over a thousand pounds. Some police strategists say a horse carries the punch of about 10 beat officers. Phoenix Police Sergeant Delameter tells of one instance in which a group of foot patrol officers tried to control a large, unruly protest. The police found themselves surrounded and in danger. The mounted unit swooped in and split the crowd, then surrounded the foot patrol and got them out safely. Arrests were made; lives were saved. And a bad situation was defused.

 

Mounted units can also go where police cars can’t—in and around traffic, through narrow alleys and yards, etc. At the same time, the horses are faster than humans; they catch up quickly to fleeing suspects.

 

They’re also good P.R. tools.  People ask to pet the horses—and it would be a little strange for them to pet police cars (or even dogs).  Passersby like to take photos of the mounted units. The animals (and officers) tend to promote a positive image for the department.

 

And you can’t beat the cost. About $10 a day covers hay, grain, and bedding material. That same amount won’t cover the gasoline a car patrol needs during one shift.

 

Choosing the animal.
Phoenix PD horses are donated to the department. Potential police mounts must attend a horse police academy, much like their human counterparts, which can weed out those that are not up to the job. They’re put through obstacle courses with lots of running. They’re exposed to the sights, sounds and smells of things like smoke grenades, firecrackers, hissing flares, and air horns. They’re taught how to move through crowds, using their heads and chest to push people out of the way when necessary. They’re trained not to bite. And they learn how to interact with the general public, in a gentle and courteous fashion.

 

Mounted shooting.
Training the horse to handle gunfire can be one of the greatest challenges. To start off, officers shoot blank guns in the stable, pasture, and during meals. The next step: the officer fires blanks from the saddle. Eventually, live rounds are fired from horseback. Training is a constant in the Phoenix PD; officers are exposed to any one of a number of possible shooting scenarios. They have to master the rigors of holstering, drawing, reloading, and accurately firing—all while controlling and steering the animal. Cross shots are practiced, as are strong and weak hand tactics.

 

Once the officer shows consistent accuracy, simulations are introduced. Live “bad guys” wave their hands, yell, throw various objects, and more.  The mounted officer uses verbal commands to try to gain control of the situation, and is required to make quick decisions on whether or not to fire. And when they do shoot the guns, paintball rounds are substituted for live ammo. Mounted patrols are usually accurate up to 50 yards away.

 

Other equipment.
The mounted patrols are supplied with the basics, including the saddle and bridle. Cloth saddlebags, which are placed behind the saddle, contain extra cuffs, a ticket book, a pocket CPR mask, water, flashlight, two MK-9 foggers (or crowd mace), and a spare shoe boot.  Each animal is also issued rubber boots for city patrol, since paved streets are hard on their hooves. And every mount wears a police badge on its breast collar.

 

There’s another indispensable tool—a dustpan. What? To fight evildoers? Uh, no. Officers are expected to scoop up the horse crap left by their animals and deposit it in planters located along city streets. That may be the most important public relations tool of all.

 

Future?
Over the past 11 years, the Phoenix PD mounted patrol has proven its worth as an important part of the city’s law enforcement effort.  And as the metropolitan area grows by leaps and bounds, it’s likely there’ll be new opportunities for the unit.

 

Whether they know it or not, they’ll be following in the footsteps of men like Marshal Henry Garfias, who knew how to keep the peace from the back of a horse.

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Mark Quigley is a writer and photographer for Western Shooting Horse Magazine and is known for his impressive police and mounted shooting photography. He is a mounted shooter himself, a police officer, and a police firearms instructor who continues to protect & serve the people of his state.

 

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