Horses are once again roaming downtown Los Angeles, as LAPD’s mounted patrol officers take to the streets in an effort to help merchants and shoppers feel safer.
Members of the patrol call their trusty quarterhorses “patrol cars with legs.”
“A huge show of force, literally. Like, about fifteen hundred pounds show of force out here,” said Officer Eric Coffey.
Leonard Bernstein of Caravan Book Store said the horses provide a sense of security. He recalls that just a decade or so ago, the sidewalks outside his shop of South Grand Avenue were a bit more dangerous than they are today.
“Always, the police presence makes me feel secure. There's an element down here that's still pretty rough,” he said.
He said shoppers may not visit his store as frequently as they do, were it not for the mounted patrols.
The officers have taken a particular focus on so-called quality of life crimes, mostly small-time petty crimes.
But, the officers said, they are prepared for the more dangerous crimes that happen downtown.
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“We chase guys with guns, we arrest people with drugs,” Coffey said.
Officers said their horseback vantage points give them a perspective different from their colleagues in cars. They can see farther, and the animals are especially suited for large, holiday crowds.
Plus, Bernstein said, they have something officers in cars just can’t bring to the neighborhood.
“To see a friendly horse and the guy riding it is fun,” Bernstein said.
