MADISON, Wis. — The Madison Police Department’s Mounted Patrol Unit welcomed a new official member Monday.
Chevy, a 14-year-old Percheron/Friesian Gelding, has earned his badge.
The horse weighs more than 1,600 pounds. Officials say he loves treats, dirt baths and being adored by the public he serves.
Chevy came to the team in 2018 and has completed a two-year probationary period after demonstrating the ability to perform numerous tasks in a variety of conditions.
“The horses are very important to what we do,” said MPD Acting Chief Vic Wahl. “Whether it’s a large event like Halloween or Rhythm and Booms, or something where there’s a lot of people, having the horses gives our officers a good vantage point and allows them to do things that would take 10 or 12 officers to do. They’re also, as you can imagine, great ambassadors for the department.”
The Mounted Patrol Unit has six riders and six horses. Costs for the unit’s training, equipment and supplies come from donations through a nonprofit called Madison Mounted, not through taxpayer dollars.
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