The Ocean City Police Department has recently welcomed a new member to the department’s Mounted Unit. The new police horse, Frasier, was picked up by mounted officers from Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky where he had been trained. Frasier is a 4-year-old, Percheron Thoroughbred Cross.
Frasier was purchased using a monetary donation that was graciously given to the Mounted Unit by a charitable fund from the late Virginia Murray. This donation has also supported the purchase of additional horses in the past.
“Our Mounted Unit is a great asset to our department,” said Chief Ross Buzzuro. “Not only are they a great community relations tool but they can serve as an equivalent to five officers in many situations.”
Frasier is currently in his initial training stages and becoming acclimated to his new home and stall-mates. Once he has adjusted to Ocean City and become familiar with many of the different things he will experience, he will be out patrolling the streets and boardwalk.
His first outing in Ocean City will be on November 21 at Northside Park for the opening night of the 21st Annual Winterfest of Lights where citizens will have their chance to see Frasier for the first time.
16 comments:
This year, there will be citizens who no longer have access to a bus service to get to work during late hours because the Town can no longer afford to provide the service. I never thought I would read that funding priorities for a horse would overtake those for services to the Town's citizens. There is a wake up call here. Sign anything that further restricts the powers of Town management.
Ummm...did you read the article? The horse was purchased though a donation....
Poor soul; ain't too pretty!
7:20-As with any animal ESPECIALLY a horse the purchase price is an extremely small fraction of what the animal costs. I bet the boarding costs alone are several hundred a month.
But the horse is not allowed to take a dump in city limits because O'Malley says it would contribute nitrogen in the bay. Oh hell, I guess they will have to pay the fine.
The donation gift was spent in accordance wishes of the donor, ms Virginia Murray. This is how it should be. The bus issue should be addressed in another forum. I am happy for mounted patrol.
O'Smelly is an old pro at shovelin ****, after all,he is a professional **** slinger i.e. "His Master's Voice". A liberal stand in for Bozo The Brown Clown.
@ 8:04...he is a dapple gray..very pretty..the Percheron is a light draft horse--used for was and agricultural purposes in the past..considered "cold blooded:..the Thoroughbred is considered "hot-blooded"..this will be a great mix for a police horse!
9:22 I didn't make the comment you refer to, but this forum is absolutely without a doubt the appropriate place to address the issue. Commenter was making reference to priorities. I'm not sure whether I agree or disagree but to say this isn't the appropriate place is ludicrous.
It's just stupid.
OC does not need horseback mounted cops. Give them Segways or even bikes, after all this is 2013!
Town management has to go,
Funding a horse stable is over the top extravagant. there's just no possible need for mounted police here on the shore. I don't care who donates funds, its sure not free to the city.
tl
Agree. Put them on bicycles. Way more efficient use of funds End the pony show
Maybe the horse could pull a wagon and haul citizens trying to get to/from work in the late hours. Only problem I could think of is that the rider probably would not want to work for what bus drivers are paid.
Philadelphia has/had a mounted police force for patrolling Fairmount Park, along the river. During a concert someone gave a horse LSD, it dropped dead on the spot. OCPD beware all those druggies down there in the summer rubbing the muzzle of your horse. You never know what they might feed it.
A show of Force with the drunk bums is great with a horse.
For a second there I thought Bernadette was back in town.
A few points:
1. Let's not forget that OC is a resort town. The vacationers - especially the kids - love seeing the horses on the beach and roads. Many, many times have I seen crowds gather around these specially trained horses and asking all sorts of questions to the officer. It's as much a PR tool as it is crime-fighting tool. You never see kids gather around a Segway.
2. I've seen first-hand their effectiveness in crowd control. They easily settle the boisterous crowds that gather in early June.
3. I'm not completely positive about this, but I think I read somewhere that the room and board for the horses is donated by a local citizen.
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