Had dinner with the Officer who is responsible for the Police Horses in the Baltimore PD, last night. Surprised that they currently had only 7. But not surprised by the breeding..... all are at least half Belgian, Percheron, or other working horse. They go out most nights into the neighborhoods where the strip clubs are, to facilitate the closing of the clubs!

Philadelphia once had as many as 200 Police Horses. Totally got rid of the entire unit about a decade ago, but are now slowly rebuilding. Very expensive, but work in crowds fantastically. Nothing like an animal with feet the size of dinner plates working through a crowd!

I used to work with the MD National Capital Park Police. One unknown fact is that very few of the mounted officers have any riding experience or get any formal training. Thus, they also require very patient and forgiving horses for most units!

They still have 5or6 horses in the Rochester, New York P.D. All are drafts or crosses. Their stables are on the ground floor of a city parking garage. Nice set-up, and most would agree, nice horses.