Seattle's police horse program to trot into the sunset

The Seattle Police Department announced Monday that it plans to nix its mounted patrol unit. The department says the move is part of an effort to conserve "scarce resources" as it prioritizes responding to emergency calls and investigating serious crimes.

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"We recognize the deep and abiding relationships that so many inside and outside of SPD have developed over the years. We will be working to find a compassionate and meaningful transition for each of the animals," SPD said in a statement. "We hope that some of them might be used to serve the community in other ways, such as therapy horses. Former owners of the donated horses will be given the opportunity to take back ownership."

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In its announcement, SPD noted the mounted patrol's "storied, 150-year legacy" in the city. The unit began in a time before the car came to city roads. In more recent years it has been deployed to patrol city parks or help with crowd control.

The department acknowledged that as it's downsized over the past decade, the horses have mostly been seen at memorial services or community events. With city budgets cutting funds for the mounted patrol unit in recent years, community efforts have emerged to help fund it. The Seattle Police Foundation has organized a program to sponsor a police horse and has held fundraisers to help keep the unit going.

The department says it does not foresee bringing the police horses back in the future, since they require constant maintenance and resources.

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