Seattle Police horses plan field trip to Westwood this Saturday

(January 2013 photo taken at Westwood Village by Tammy Wooley)
We’ve already previewed the upcoming open house at the Seattle Police Mounted Patrol‘s Highland Park headquarters on September 22nd – and now Sgt. Jim Scott tells us you’ll get a chance to see them even sooner: This Saturday (September 7th), they’ll be at Daystar Retirement Village (2615 SW Barton, across from the south side of Westwood Village) 12:30-2:30 pm, and then at WV itself, in the east parking lot near Starbucks, 2:45-4:15 pm. (We’ve noted Westwood sightings in the past – like the one in the photo above – as the horses are taken out to be acclimatized to people and places, but never before with advance notice.)

skeeter September 5, 2013 (12:32 pm)

I sometimes wonder if the horse-mounted patrol gives the taxpayers a good bang for the buck. Seems to me bicycles and motorcycles would be more effective and definitely cheaper. But I could be wrong.

4thGenWestSide September 5, 2013 (1:31 pm)

Hopefully this year they consider picking up their piles of poo, unlike the piles they left last year. Concrete does not absorb. Fun to see those beautiful horses though. @skeeter poses a valid question.

miws September 5, 2013 (1:45 pm)

skeeter, I only skimmed this as I’m in the middle of fixing lunch, but I think this is the article, that explains the great benefits of the Mounted Patrol, that came to mind when I read your comment.

https://westseattleblog.com/2010/10/seattle-city-budget-citizen-push-to-save-spd-mounted-unit

Mike

Gene September 5, 2013 (2:19 pm)

Skeeter & 4thGen-mounted police are extremely efficient/effective crowd control tools.They are a GREAT asset-can go where bikes & motorcycles can’t & are especially good in building community relations-which in todays atmosphere is definitely important . By the way-I remember the criticism/whining regarding the poo from last year-totally ridiculous in my view. If it bothers you so much -get your broom & dust pan-or just stay away from WWV area.
I for one am grateful the Mounted Patrol are still here–a big THANK YOU to the Officers & their horses.

WSB September 5, 2013 (2:21 pm)

Yes, we’ve already had one comment thread devolve entirely into a discussion of the horses’ waste and that won’t be happening again. Thanks, Mike, for already finding the link. The Seattle Police Foundation and a citizen donation drive rescued the Mounted Unit from scheduled cuts.

westseattledood September 5, 2013 (2:32 pm)

I somehow missed that previous discussion. How’d that happen? :)

Horse poo makes beautiful fertilizer for plants.

Those poo-pooers probably weren’t true gardeners. We usually covet access to good cheap poo…stinky fish, horse, cow, guano and the gold local standard of aged zoo doo.

As a matter of opinion, I suggested to the same before – and STILL think- that the Mounted Unit and the Seattle Police Foundation should market and sell their horse fertilizer. :)

WSB September 5, 2013 (2:58 pm)

The discussion was following the story from which I recycled the photo seen in this one – for anyone truly interested, here’s the direct link. The open house on the 22nd (info linked in this story) will be a perfect chance to talk directly with the Mounted Patrol folks about any questions, concerns, curiosities you have.
.
https://westseattleblog.com/2013/01/in-case-you-wondered-too-seattle-police-horse-sightings#comments

miws September 5, 2013 (5:42 pm)

Heh, after going through the comments from the earlier article, and all of the “poo talk”, including at least one suggestion of selling the horse droppings similarly to what Woodland Park does with the Zoo Doo, the horse poo cold be marketed as; “Mounted Doo“! ;-)

Mike

justme September 5, 2013 (7:16 pm)

Very clever Mike ;)

skeeter September 6, 2013 (9:29 am)

Thanks for the link miws. I can understand the height advantage of a mounted officer as being effective. I’m willing to concede there are people that know more than me about how resources are best spent.

miws September 6, 2013 (10:16 am)

skeeter, I admit that part of the appeal of the Mounted Patrol for me is the warm and fuzzy “horsey!!” thing. But I also like the fact of the added height advantage for the Officers, and the visibility for them and those in the crowds.

Plus, the fact that it can prevent some folks that might be highly confrontational to non-Mounted Officers, from being confrontational.

Could be worse if they were to do away with the Mounted Patrol, and then addressed the height advantage issue with drones. ;-)

Mike

skeeter September 6, 2013 (12:30 pm)

I get the appeal of the “horsey” thing. I bet the kids love seeing the animals. Maybe we’re still living in the wild west a bit and the lawmen ride horses. hee hee.