SFPD swears in 2 new horses as members of the mounted unit
San Francisco horses Gus and Duke will be sworn in Dec. 14, 2022
SAN FRANCISCO - The San Francisco Police Department is poised to swear in two new horses, Gus and Duke, as members of the mounted unit.
In a news release, the police department said it conducted an "exhaustive search" which took more than a year
Among other qualifications, SFPD policy requires that horses shall be extremely well broke and gentle, along with being of sound mind and in top physical condition.
It's a process that weeds out more than 99% of potential candidate horses and makes finding suitable horses exceptionally difficult, police said.
Police horse candidates also go through a trial where they are exposed to all environments within San Francisco and they end up supplementing patrols all over the city. Their height offers officers a clear view of crowded areas and the horses are used in every city parade, police said.
The mounted unit works along The Embarcadero, Marina Green, The Palace of Fine Arts, China Basin, McLaren Park, Castro Street, Japantown, Golden Gate Park, Union Square, Pier 39 and more.
The SFPD has had its Mounted Patrol Unit continuously since 1864 – the second-longest stint in America after New York City.