Not horsing around

Police Turn to the Stable for Crime-Fighting Clout

Now, after decades of consignment to Central Park patrols, ceremonial trots down Fifth Avenue and the occasional cameo at a raucous demonstration, these horses — and 85 of their brethren — have begun patrolling high-crime neighborhoods, making late-night shows of force through Times Square and taking the lead during search-and-rescue missions along thicket-filled riverbanks and wooded urban parkland.

And there soon will be more of them: Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly is increasing the budget for the mounted troop, 75 horses and officers over the next three years, to eventually bring the total to 160, giving mounted patrols a larger role in battling crime.

"There's a reason we call them the 10-foot cop," Mr. Kelly said. "You can see them from blocks away, they're great at crowd control and they're probably the most photographed piece of equipment we have. I'm a huge fan." ...

In New York, once paired, officers and their horses often spend the rest of their careers together. For example, Sgt. William McKay and Angus have been partners for nine years. Recently, they helped round up a group of men involved in a shooting. All it took was the approaching clippity-clop of Angus and few stern shouts from Sergeant McKay.

"When a cop on horseback issues a command, people tend to listen," he said. "I mean, I'm sitting on a thousand pounds of animal. It's also human nature to respect and fear a horse."

Sergeant McKay's Coney Island-based unit recently began patrolling some of the more troubled precincts of central Brooklyn, including East New York and Brownsville, where they often draw a crowd that is both appreciative and awed. In communities with a longstanding mistrust of the police, he said, there is nothing like a large animal to break the ice.

Another quintessential Times article; what great--and informative--reading. Odd, though--no photos?!

On a day when the Washington Post won four Pulitzers to the Times' three (were it up to President Bush, the article notes, it's have been three to two), it's worth remembering the Times is the world's greatest newspaper not just for its hard news, but also its depth of feature articles.

Not to mention lines like this:

Getting a spot with one of the city's mounted troop is highly competitive, and once they get in, most officers stay until retirement, even if it means giving up more lucrative transfers. Old horses live out their final years at an upstate horse farm, and many officers will show up at the stables long before the start of their shift just to groom their partners.

Photo of unidentified horses and partners via NYPD mounted unit website.