Livingston gets third police horse

The newest member of the Livingston Police Department is a horse of a different color – literally.

Sonny, a white police horse, recently joined the department’s mounted patrol, which already includes brown-coated Lobo and Moe.

At 12, Sonny is the youngest member of the horse squad, but he has already served seven years with a mounted patrol in Hardin County, Ohio, according to Officer Joe Cruz. The police force there was downsizing and sold Sonny, who arrived in Livingston in February.

“I was just lucky to get him,” he said. “He had a long trip out here.”

All of the horses are around 5 feet tall at the shoulder, Cruz said, and make for one of the department’s biggest and best ways to meet people.

“We go out and try to make contact with a person who wouldn’t normally approach a police officer,” Cruz said. “It’s a very, very good public relations tool.”

Police horses typically are chosen because their temperament allows them to be comfortable in crowds. Cruz said 17-year-old Lobo and 14-year-old Moe were trained at a Sacramento County police school, while Sonny did his schooling in Ohio.

He said the animals are trained to become comfortable with loud noises and to trust their riders.

Police Chief Ruben Chavez said mounted patrols bring new tools to the police that they don’t get from cars or while on foot. They’re good for patrolling alleys, visiting schools or making appearances at festivals.

“They’re just great with the public,” he said. “(A) crowd gathers and a lot of the kids come up and pet them.”

The animals also offer a unique view of the surroundings. Case in point: On April 18, Cruz and Chavez, riding atop Lobo and Sonny, saw marijuana being illegally cultivated in a backyard. Officers, sitting on their high horse, could plainly see more than 20 plants, which were subsequently confiscated.

Chavez, who served four years on the mounted patrol in San Jose, said horses can also be a tool for controlling crowds. “They just do wonders,” he said. “They’re a great asset to the police department.”

Chavez said he has plans to get other officers trained to ride the animals on regular patrols or to show them off at community events.

Lobo and Moe, both rescued horses, have made the rounds at the annual Sweet Potato Festival and Fourth of July celebrations. Sonny might just be champing at the bit to get a shot at upcoming events.

This story was originally published May 10, 2016 at 5:22 PM with the headline "Livingston gets third police horse."