Police horses return to West Midlands and are already on the frontline
Mounted officers deployed to missing persons search just a week after launch
Police horses have returned to the West Midlands for the first time in 26 years and within days of their first patrols the newly re-established Mounted Unit has already been deployed to help search for a missing teenager.
The force’s first group of horses began operational duties after months of preparation and trials using horses borrowed from other forces. Belgravia, Bruce, Yonkers, Yve and Yvonne arrived in the region following extensive vet checks and settling-in time to ensure they were suited to busy urban streets.
The introduction marks the start of a 12-horse unit supported by specialist grooms, an equine manager and newly trained mounted officers. Six officers have already graduated from a 16-week intensive riding and public order course with more currently in training.
‘They’re highly trained experienced animals’
Chief Constable Craig Guildford described the significance of the moment as he introduced the first two horses to begin duties.
“These are part of the first six horses that we've got in the West Midlands. Eventually there will be 12 in total” he said. “The officers have passed a 16-week course and the horses themselves are quite experienced. They are thoroughly equine vet checked supported looked after. The officers on the back of those horses take their responsibilities extremely seriously.”
He said the force received 267 applications for 12 mounted roles showing the strong interest among officers.
The horses have been equipped for urban work with high visibility coverings strengthened horseshoes for road surfaces and specialist police kit for riders.
Public engagement and operational support
The Mounted Unit has already been used on high street patrols including as part of the force’s winter visibility campaign. Guildford said the role of the horses goes far beyond crowd management.
“Their visibility allows people to come and speak to the cops in a different way than a police officer walking down the street” he said. “They’re great for neighbourhood policing. People see them and it reminds people that the police are there and they're there to be spoken to.”
Horses can also enter areas that police vehicles cannot including estates parks and footpaths offering new opportunities for community contact and reassurance.
The unit will also support major events such as football matches parades protests and festivals. Mounted officers have already proven that six horses can manage crowds usually requiring more than 20 officers allowing those officers to be redeployed elsewhere.
Already on a missing persons search
Within a week of deployment the horses were used in the search for a missing 17-year-old boy in Smethwick. PC William Smith one of the first officers to join the new unit said the horses’ ability to cover ground quickly proved vital.
“We were asked to go and help with the search of a missing boy. When he’d previously gone missing he’d been found over some parklands” he said. “On horses we can cover a lot of ground very quickly and that's probably the best way to look for a missing person in those circumstances.”
‘Bruce is very affectionate he loves his carrots’
PC Smith is partnered with Bruce an eight-year-old Irish Draught horse with several years of policing experience. “Bruce has been a police horse for three or four years” he said. “I first met him a few weeks ago while I was on a 16-week intensive riding course.”
He said returning to mounted policing after a long absence meant the unit had spent its first days focusing heavily on community engagement across the region, “We've had a 26-year break from mounted in West Midlands Police so we want to introduce the horses to the communities so they get to know us and we get to know them.”
He believes mounted policing is one of the most effective ways to build trust, “The biggest advantage is community engagement and ensuring trust and confidence in the police. There are communities that don't see a lot of police for various reasons. Being on the mountain is a really good vehicle for bringing them in to us.”
Smith says getting to know Bruce has been one of the highlights of the job “He’s really lovable. When he's in his stable he likes to give you a nudge. He loves treats like all horses carrots the occasional polo mint but he's very affectionate.”