Nelson Investigates: Mounted Patrol Units

Hay everyone!

I’m glad I got to see a lot of you at the Summer Showcase a few weeks ago! It’s always great to see everyone get excited about learning something new. This week, we’re chatting about something that isn’t new to me, but it might be new to you: the Rutgers Mounted Patrol! This is a topic near and dear to me because being part of the mounted unit was my first job here at Rutgers.

Before we talk about Rutgers, let’s hear a bit of history about mounted patrol units. Formal mounted units could be found throughout Europe during the mid-1700s. These units were different from horses used in battles, which would be called the “cavalry.” In the United States, the first official unit was founded in New York City in 1858. It happened to be composed of former US Cavalry officers who were certainly skilled at navigating difficult, and potentially dangerous, situations on horseback. However, mounted units certainly aren’t stuck in the past; they are still in use today at the national, state, and local levels.

Using a horse for this kind of work has quite a few advantages. We’re a lot more agile and sure-footed, so we can go places cars or motorcycles can’t. Having a lot of endurance is pretty helpful too. Many mounted units use their horses for crowd control at large events because of their better maneuverability and tendency to command respect. People enjoy getting to meet the horses too! I know I always liked saying hello to all the students on Cook campus.

The program at Rutgers was started in the late 1970s as a part of the Rutgers University Police Department (RUPD). After going through lots of rigorous training to make sure we were up for the job, I got to experience Rutgers for the first time as a real police horse. Horses that are used for mounted programs all across the country need to go through specialized training to make sure they are ready. It’s pretty tough, and some horses realize they aren’t fit for that kind of work. Dr. M will certainly have lots of stories about how fearless I was during my career.

Today, the Mounted Patrol at Rutgers is the only student-run unit in the nation. Students participate in training through the Rutgers Community Service Officer (CSO) program before applying to be part of the unit. Then they must pass both written and riding exams that test skills they may have to use while on patrol. They certainly know what they’re doing!

If you ever get a chance to walk around Cook campus after visiting the farm, be on the lookout for my friends keeping the community safe on horseback!

 

Until next time.

Your friend,

Lord Nelson