Positive Police Presence on Magnificent Mounts

At the Australian International 3 Day Equestrian Event held in Adelaide, South Australia, last year, I came across two mounted police officers.

They were supposed to be on patrol on the Cross Country day which was the Saturday.

However, their patrol was probably done at snail's pace, certainly not at a canter or a gallop. They would have been continually stopping to chat and allowing the public to pat their mounts.

Such is the reputation of our South Australian Mounted Police that people of all ages are drawn to them and their horses like a magnet.






The police "greys" are all geldings of German warmblood breeding. As well as carrying out their police duties, both riders and horses provide a positive side to policing. You only have to look at the smiles on the faces of both officers to see that they love their job. I have a sneaking suspicion that the horses love the attention too.

Here are a couple of websites for more information:
http://www.horsesinuniform.com/index.php?set_albumName=album04&name=gallery&include=view_album.php
and
http://www.police.sa.gov.au/sapol/about_us/structure/operations_support_service/special_tasks_rescue_group.jsp

The stables for the police horses are located near the old Adelaide Gaol, where my grandfather was a warder.

Just a word of warning. In some countries you have to be very careful when photographing police. Sometimes it isn't allowed and you can get yourself into trouble, particularly in some Asian, South American or African countries.

However, it doesn't just happen there. While I was waiting for my flight home to Australia in 2009, I was photographing traffic outside Los Angeles Airport Terminal. Some of the traffic included, by chance, police cars and motorcycles. I suddenly found myself being approached by a security guard. He wasn't very amused and asked why I was taking so many photos at the airport. I handed over my business card and promptly explained that it was all quite innocent and I had no ulterior motive other than to take photos for my "Getting Around" DVD for aged care and dementia patients.

So, having had that experience, I asked the mounted policewoman if it was OK to photograph them and post the photos on the internet. Not a problem!

What a great way to promote the police and South Australia with such a positive attitude. Go Greys!