Horses with a Purpose: Meet Lubbock’s Mounted Patrol Unit

One of the coolest sights when cruising the streets is a rider on horseback just taking in the fresh air. Better yet, when a cop is patrolling the area on top of a four-legged beast. How cool!

LPD Mounted Patrol

Did you know that the Lubbock Police Department (LPD) actually has a Mounted Patrol Unit? I don't know about you, but this was the first I ever heard of it.

Well, it turns out that this unit consists of five horses and seven members: five officers, a sergeant and a captain. Check out these photos of the horses from the patrol's Facebook page:

Yes, each of the five horses does indeed have a name. You have Nellie, Tanner, Jobe, Smokey, and—my favorite—Jiggs.

What do Mounted Patrol Officers Do?

As fun as it is to think about mounted officers running down criminals on horseback with a lasso, the truth is that the Mounted Patrol Unit typically assists with area searches and city event patrolling rather than full-on shootouts.

When it comes to animals on the front lines, that's better suited for the K-9 unit with highly trained dogs instead of horses serving as large targets in gunfights.

The Mounted Unit also participates in community events like National Night Out, Foster Kids Birthday Bash, and the ABC Pro Rodeo, to name a few.

Each officer who serves in the Mounted Patrol Unit also holds other full-time positions in the department. Unfortunately, patrolling the streets on horseback is not a full-time gig.

In fact, each officer, just like in the K-9 unit, is fully responsible for their animal (feeding and daily care).

So, the next time you see a mounted officer in Lubbock, enjoy the moment! You won't get to see them very often otherwise.