Portland Mounted Police

Information Contact:
(503) 823-2100

The Portland Police Bureau's Mounted Patrol Unit patrols primarily the downtown area, combating street crime. In addition, the MPU has the ability to trailer to other parts of the city to be used for special events, crowd control and park problems. The officers assigned to the MPU perform standard police functions: make arrests, conduct investigations, issue citations and handle routine calls. The activity level of the unit is high due to the fact that they are able to patrol problem areas in a slower, more thorough manner. The mounted officer is an effective method of crime prevention especially in the downtown area due to the high visibility factor and quick response capability in congested areas.

Personnel
Currently, officers work a 10-hour day, four days a week, and are responsible for preparing and tacking up their assigned mounts prior to their tour of duty.

The Police Bureau employs stable attendants who take care of feeding the horses, maintain the horse barn, and provide basic training to new horses and mounted officers. The stable attendants also bathe and clip all of the mounts prior to the beginning of the work week, treat minor injuries to the animals and perform worming and inoculations.

Facility

The Mounted Patrol Equestrian Facility is located within walking distance of downtown Portland in a renovated flour mill. There is a 100' x 200' covered riding arena that allows the officers and the horses to train year-round on site. The facility has the ability to board up to 16 horses in 12' x 12' stalls.

Horses and Equipment
The horses currently used by the Police Bureau were either purchased or donated. The average purchase price is $3, 000. The Police Bureau uses only geldings of various breeds, who are normally eight to twelve years of age when purchased, and are about 15.2 hands in height. The horses wear Australian stock saddles with saddlebags and a cantle bag.

The horses are boarded at the Police Bureau horse barn which is located downtown. They are fed twice a day with Timothy Grass hay, dixie feed, and receive a vitamin supplement. The stalls are 12' x 12, ' contain automatic waterers and have a two-inch bedding of shavings.

Training
The Mounted Patrol Unit provides its own training for both the officers and the horses. The officers are given about six weeks of basic riding training prior to actual deployment. The training of the horses varies with each animal, but basic training procedures are applied.

Horse Specifications and Qualifications

Color:
Solid colors (no off color), with minimal markings.

Blemishes:
Minor blemishes acceptable if the blemish does not represent physical impairment or limit free movement of the horse.

Age:
Eight to twelve years.

Sex:
Gelding only.

Height:
15.2 hands minimum.

Weight:
Weight of horse must be proportionate to the horse's height.

Equitation Standard:
The horse must be broke to ride and neck rein. The horse must be capable of entering and departing a horse trailer. While mounted, the horse must demonstrate the ability to stop, turn, side pass, and back up with the appropriate leg, seat, and rein cues.

Disposition:
During the initial evaluation, the disposition of the horse will be evaluated. Undesirable disposition characteristics can include: biting, charging, kicking, rearing, bucking or obvious nervousness and uneasiness.

Temperament:
This area refers to the sociability of the horse. Specifically, if a horse is stimulated to do a specific act several times, the horse must not get mad and rebel. Rebelling in a violent manner is unacceptable.

Physical Condition:
An unsound horse can include the following conformation faults:

Loaded shoulder, bull neck, thick throttle, small nostrils, parrot mouth, mutton withers, roman nose, shallow-narrow chest, crooked forelegs, spavins, rafter hips, long cannons, puffy hocks or sickle hocks, improperly set hind legs, incorrectly set forelegs, obvious deformation of the hoof including cracks and thrush.