Sheriff

Services - Mounted Horse Patrol

Mounted Horse Patrol
The Mounted Patrol participates in an assortment of parades within Sherburne County. Here at the 2009 Palmer Days Parade, volunteers were able to promote the unit along with providing various opportunities for visitors and participants to meet them and their partners.
Mounted Patrol at 2009 Palmer Day Parade

The Sherburne County Sheriff's Office Mounted Patrol has 30 active volunteers that have gone through rigorous certifications and training. They are always ready for active duty.

Made up entirely of volunteers, members train with their horses several hours per month to serve the Sheriff's Office. In addition to courses in emergency medical procedures and learning to work as a coordinated unit, members also pass an annual certification course on their horses.

Patrolling on horseback allows for an advantageous perspective and improved mobility while working with crowds. The unit's value is demonstrated in search and rescue operations and other instances involving large crowds.

Members of the unit each provide their own horse and trailer and agree to be available for dispatch at all times. All equipment and uniforms are paid for by funds raised by members of the horse patrol and donations from area businesses and organizations.

The unit adheres to a regimented set of by-laws that establish protocol in a wide variety of instances. All members submit to a background check prior to being accepted into the Mounted Patrol.

The Mounted Patrol has participated in various events that include parades within Sherburne County; assisting at Wild West Days in Zimmerman and the Sherburne County Fair in Elk River. The unit has also been used for security details and search and rescue efforts throughout the county.

Desensitizing a horse to different environmental factorsMembers of the Mounted Patrol use various obstacles to desensitize their horses to different environmental factors they may encounter while volunteering for the Sheriff’s Office.Desensitizing a horse to different environmental factors