The
Beginning of the San Jose Mounted Unit
Before the automobile was invented,
police officers patrolled on horses. The officer and horse were a team. We have historic
pictures on our  website that show San Jose Police officers on horseback. Although the
majority of our officers patrol by car, our Mounted Unit plays an integral part of the San
Jose Police Department.
The
San Jose Mounted Unit began as a volunteer unit in 1970. Police
Reserves, donating their
time to the City and utilizing their own personal horses, patrolled the
parks during summer
weekends.
Around
1982, several regular members of the Police Department joined the
volunteer unit, and an
agreement was reached with the City, whereby each member could board their personal horse at the old Tuers
Road Stables, and the city would provide for the feed and the shoeing of the animals.
By
1984, the volunteer unit had grown to ten regular officers and one
Reserve officer, and was
still a volunteer assignment, worked on a collateral basis in addition
to each officer's regular
assignment.
In
1985, three factors gave support to the formation of a full-time
Mounted Unit: the renovation
of the downtown area, the expansion of the City parks system, and the decision by the Council that Park
Rangers would not be sworn personnel. In late 1985, an agreement was reached between the
Police and the Parks and Recreation Department, whereby the Police Department would
occupy the Tully Road Stables, housing the Mounted, Parks enforcement and Canine
Units, in consideration for patrol and support services at several City parks (Coyote
River Park, Almaden Lake Park, Alum Rock Park and Lake Cunningham Park). One police
sergeant was assigned full-time to the Tully Road Stables to coordinate the
renovation of the debilitated facility. Utilizing City workers (electrician, plumbers,
painters, etc. ) and inmates assigned to the Public Service Program, the remodeling was completed
with little cost to the City.
 In 1986, Mayor Tom
McEnery and Chief
of Police Joseph D. McNamara formed a blue-ribbon Task Force to raise money to
purchase needed equipment
for the new full-time Unit.
Approximately $70,000 was collected by private citizens and used to purchase 14 horses,
13 saddles, blankets and associated leather gear, one marked pick-up truck and one
six-horse trailer.
In July 1985, a
police officer was selected as the Unit's horse trainer, to be
responsible for selecting
and training the horses, as well as training all Unit members. The
first five Unit members
graduated from the 14-week academy in December of 1986, and the second group of five officers graduated
in April of 1987. The Unit is currently patrolling the major City parks, as well as the
downtown area. |
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1911
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