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MOUNTED PATROL PHOTO GALLERY

HISTORY...

Madison’s historic

State Street Hallowen

celebration showed

everyone how effective

horses can be when

100,000 revelers gather in one urban area. The 2006 event was trouble-free, in part because 12 horses and officers were out on the street spreading goodwill- watching over the heads of the crowds to anticipate trouble.

With that success, in 2007, Madison Police Chief Noble Wray agreed to have a supervisor and two officers train and use their own horses to start a patrol unit up again.

Today, there are two full-time and two part-time officers and five horses. Two horses are privately owned by officers and three are owned or leased by the department. They work major Madison events such as the Mifflin Street Block Party, Fourth of July’s Rhythm and Booms and the entertainment district downtown. For larger events like Halloween on State Street, The City of Madison utilizes the State Fair Park Police Mounted Patrol to assist. With outside assistance, a total of 12-14 horses patrol the crowded downtown area which attracts up to 75,000 plus attendees in a six-block area!

The goal for Madison Mounted and the Madison Police Department is to have a team of four full-time mounted officers and a contingency of eight horses. In addition to their patrol shifts downtown, this would allow the unit to work neighborhoods and parks across the city on a regular basis. Covering a variety of shifts, the mounted patrol can provide high visibility patrol to areas not easily reached by squad or even bicycles and provide quicker response than officers on foot.

WELCOME!

Located in Madison, Wisconsin, Madison Mounted is a volunteer, non-profit advocacy and fundraising organization that promotes and supports the City of Madison Police Department Mounted Patrol Unit.

The volunteer members promote the importance of this Police department division and help raise money to support the specialized equipment needs and training for officers and horses- as well as purchase new police mount prospects and the cost of care for the horses.