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Boston police commissioner defends dismantling of Mounted Unit

E-mail|Link|Comments () June 23, 2009 06:53 PM

(David L. Ryan/Globe Staff)

The mounted unit in action at Downtown Crossing last month.

By Matt Collette, Globe Correspondent

Boston's police commissioner today defended his proposal to dismantle the Mounted Unit, the group of horse-mounted officers used to patrol parks and control crowds.

"Just like an umpire in baseball, you might not like every call," Commissioner Edward Davis said at a Boston City Council hearing. "But that's the decision we made. I had to choose between animals and people, and I chose people."

Davis said eliminating the mounted unit will save the police department $700,000 a year. The unit's nine officers and sergeant will be reassigned to districts across the city. The proposal is contained in Davis's budget proposal, which must be passed by the City Council.

Davis said the Mounted Unit is useful in some situations, but community policing initiatives, like Safe Street teams, are more effective.

City Councilor John Tobin said his constituents have reacted strongly to news that the city's 12 horses will be sent away.

"It's the No. 1 budget issue -- No. 2's not even close -- in the calls, e-mails, and conversations I've had with constituents."

Davis said his department will not have money to care for the horses come July 1, the start of the new fiscal year. The horses will be sent to New York, the Plymouth County Sheriff's Department, and private organizations. The contracts are expected to have provisions to return
the horses should the city's finances improve.