- Stone Bridge Apartment tenant claims unit has mold after flooding
- LUS Fiber makes it possible for kids to 'call Santa'
- 'They're police officers too': Horses have vital role in law enforcement
- 2024 Play of the Year: See the nominees and vote for your favorite play
- Billboard Top 10 nearly all Christmas music this week
'They're police officers too': Horses have vital role in law enforcement
LOUISIANA (KLFY) -- From crowd work at festivals and parades to patrolling downtown, a mounted unit for any police force plays a vital role in protecting and serving the community.
"They (horses) are police officers, just like our dogs and just like our officers on the streets that are working hard," said Sgt. Todd Green with the Lafayette Police Department.
According to the Lafayette Police Department's mounted patrol page, one horse offers the presence equivalent to 20 police officers on foot. Green is in charge of the LPD Mounted Unit. He said the most important part of the horses in the force is being a friendly face for the community.
"People just love horses, right? They're good icebreakers," Green said. "They're good bridges to the community."
Green said those in the mounted unit take pride in their role in the community. Being able to provide a different perspective of police to the people is one way to gain the trust a community can have in local law enforcement.
"It's getting out in our community, seeing people, letting people know that, hey, look, officers are people, too. And if we have to use horses to do that, then so be it, man. We're just going to do it right."
If you would like to be a police officer and want to have a vital role in community engagement, the mounted unit at your local police department may be a perfect option for you.