100 years of Equestrian Excellence-by Dishan Joseph
Source:Dailynews
For decades dedicated policemen and their horses have sustained the British traditions of mounted policing, upholding the dignity and decorum associated with the Mounted Division. Beginning in 1758 the London Police established the Mounted Branch of the Metropolitan Police, and Australia and Texas implemented Mounted Police Units by the 1820s. Records indicate the earliest formal Mounted Police Force was probably London’s 1758 Horse Patrol.
In 1871 the New York City Police Department created a Mounted Police Unit. Being on a horse allows the Police officer to keep an eye on a wider crowd and identify any issues that officers on the ground may not be able to see. Being higher up allows the officer to direct crowds with ease as people are more likely to see and hear the officer. Thoroughbreds are also used for patrolling purposes more so than crowd control, since they are typically not as bulky as quarter horses or draft horses.
Globally the breeds of horses used for Police work include- Percheron, Belgium Quarter Horse, Thoroughbred (initially Thoroughbreds were developed for tasks like racing and jumping), Dutch Warmblood
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| SSP Amal Edirimane – Director and Chief Inspector Lasantha Gunathunga – OIC |
(Dutch Warmbloods are best known for roles in showjumping and related tasks. Their quickness and steady gait allow them to perform with accuracy and precision), Tennesseewalker, Hanoverian (The Hanoverian is considered one of the most accomplished horses of all Warmbloods. Because of their grand athleticism and good temperament, they are selected for Mounted Police duties) and the Spotted Saddle Horse.
The Sri Lanka Police established its Mounted Police Division in 1921. It was a great achievement in vintage Ceylon. Since then the officers and horses have maintained this special duty for 100 years. Horses were initially brought down to Ceylon as ‘official transport’ for senior Police officers in the pioneer days of the service. Needless to say, the robust horses are appreciated by the young and old as they engage in their routine traffic duties in the Fort, Pettah and Galle Face area. Much has not changed at the division’s main stable located in the busy area of Mihindu Mawatha (Pettah), amidst the noise of the city’s traffic. Today the Police stables have 42 magnificent horses deployed in Colombo, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya.
