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State police honored its Mounted Unit, including its 12 horses, in a special ceremony

By Julia Guilardi

Some very special members of the Massachusetts State Police were honored in a ceremony on Thursday for their commitment to maintaining the safety of the commonwealth.

The State Police Mounted Unit, which consists of two sergeants, nine troopers, and 12 horses, was among the recipients of the Superintendent’s Commendations on Thursday morning. The commendations are awards given to exceptional members of the state police force.

The Mounted Unit was recognized for “its dedication to duty and selflessness in performing a vital task for the Commonwealth,” according to a release from state police.

The unit is often deployed at concerts and sporting events, as well as other large-scale events, and is a key part of crowd control and security at Gillette Stadium for Patriots games, according to state police.

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“In order to properly staff all of these various assignments with limited personnel and a tight budget, unit members have willingly changed their shifts on short notice, started early, and worked late in order to complete the mission,” the release read.

Other recipients of the Superintendent’s Commendations on Thursday included the Plymouth County Narcotics Unit, the state’s Defensive Tactics Unit, and the state’s Computer Crimes unit.

All of the horses in the Mounted Unit are owned by the commonwealth. The unit was founded in 1865.