Telepeer

Horses join Fullerton police force

July 30, 2024

The Fullerton Police Department recently welcomed five new members to the force, all expected to take on vital roles in policing the city, known for its miles of trails well traversed by hikers, joggers, cyclists and horseback riders, all who sometimes trek along the narrow terrain simultaneously.

Meet Zorro, Bodie, Bandito, Opus and Blazer, the horses making up Fullerton PD’s newly formed mounted unit.

Fullerton Police Sgt. Manny Pulido introduced his mount Bodie to the public during the city’s July 4 celebration. Pulido is one of five Fullerton officers who make up the agency’s
ew Mounted Unit. (Courtesy of Lou Ponsi)

Fullerton police Officer George Peterson and his mount, Opus, a 10-year old gelding, is one of five Fullerton officers who make up the agency’s new Mounted Unit. (Courtesy of Lou Ponsi).

Bandito, a 9-year old draft cross is ready for his closeup as one of five horses making up the Fullerton Police Department’s new mounted unit. The legs and cowboy hat of
Det. Daniel Chiodini, Bandito’s rider, are barely visible. Officer George Peterson and his mount Opus, left, and Sgt. Manny Pulido and Bodie are also in the unit. (Courtesy of Fullerton Police Department)

Fullerton Police Capt. Jose Aran and his mount, Zorro, a 15-year old gelding (Courtesy of Lou Ponsi)

Meet the Fullerton Police Department’s new mounted unit. (Courtesy of Fullerton Police Department)

1 of 5

Expand

Using horses is a high-visibility enforcement tactic for special events involving large crowds, said Capt. Jose Arana, who oversees the mounted unit. He was tasked with organizing the unit during the planning stage in 2023.

“Once the conversation began, the support was pretty much there from our elected officials, from our City Council, from our mayor and the decision was to proceed,” Arana said. “There was funding allocated for a horse trailer and a truck to begin the program. That’s where it began.”

In forming the policies and responsibilities of the unit, Arana sought input from the Anaheim and Buena Park police departments and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, all of which have mounted patrol units.

He then put out a department-wide blast, looking for officers interested in joining the new mounted unit.

“We just were looking for people who had the passion, who had the enthusiasm, the willingness to put in the time, the work and the responsibility of, No. 1, purchasing a horse, caring for the horse, but there’s a lot of your own time, and a lot of your own money that goes into it,” the captain said.

Horses in mounted units tend to be older and need to have a calm demeanor, Arana said.

The inaugural team of five riders also includes Officer George Peterson, Cpl. Josh Manes, Sgt. Manny Pulido and Det. Daniel Chiodini.

Chiodini, who has been around horses since childhood, is the most experienced rider in the unit.

“I got my first horse when I was 18,” he said, though he was a rider well before that. “I thought it would just be awesome to be able to patrol as a police officer on a horse, go through our trails, all the community engagement and stuff like that.”

Each officer owns and cares for their horse at their own expense, which includes food, boarding, veterinary care and farrier service (putting on horseshoes). And, their duties in the mounted unit are in addition to their regular assignments.

The mounted unit can be called into action to search for suspects, locate missing persons and do homeless outreach, the captain said.

Fullerton’s new unit will also join the Orange County Regional Mounted Enforcement Unit, a cooperative effort between the Sheriff’s Department and police departments in Anaheim, Buena Park, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Santa Ana.

Collectively, the regional unit can have more than 60 mounted officers in service to patrol trails, beaches and wilderness areas and handle crowd control at high profile events throughout the county.

The county’s mounted units have been put in service to maintain order for large-scale events in Angel Stadium and the Honda Center. It also participated in this year’s Rose Parade.

And as the presidential election draws closer, Arana said he anticipates being summoned to maintain order at political rallies, which have devolved into violence in the past in Orange County.

In April 2016, a protest outside a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump in Costa Mesa had fights break out and a police car got smashed before officers on horseback helped restore order, he said.

“Oh yeah,” Arana said. “We’ll definitely work with all of the Orange County mounting units.”

The public can meet the officers and the horses of Fullerton’s new Mounted Unit at the Police Department’s National Night Out from 5 to 7 p.m. on Aug. 6 at the Downtown Fullerton Plaza.

Local News |

Fire at Buena Park amusement center may have started in ball pit, prompts partial mall closure

Local News |

Here’s what several Orange County cities plan for National Night Out

Local News |

Coast Guard suspends search for missing teen swimmer off Huntington Beach coast

Local News |

Hemet man admits ‘catfishing’ girl, 12, on Roblox for explicit photos of herself and sister, 5

Local News |

Crews respond to fast-moving 130-plus acre Macy fire near Lake Elsinore

Orange County Register

News Details

Horses join Fullerton police force

Related Articles

News

CONTACT INFO

QUICK LINKS

SERVICES

CURRENT NEWS