Horse Mounted Patrol Graduates

On May 1, 2009 five Officers and one Sergeant graduated from the United States Park Police basic Horse Mounted Patrol program and are poised to assist the Department in providing a unique form of police service.

This ten week program is designed to take officers from having minimal to no prior knowledge of horsemanship and quickly form them into competent, safe, and effective mounted patrol officers and stable managers. The challenging training tests the physical and mental desire and ability of the candidate officers.

After completion of this program, the mounted officer and horse become a team that is able to effectively perform routine urban and back country patrols, work in small and large teams as an outstanding crowd management agent, and also provide a positive image of the Department and Park Service to the public.

This training program is well known and respected by other law enforcement agencies. The United States Park Police Horse Mounted Unit training staff has provided mounted patrol training for police departments from around the United States and around the world such as a recent training program for the National Police of the Republic of Georgia.

The graduates are:

Sergeant Cynthia Sirk
Officer Mark Asmussen
Officer Jeffrey Bloch
Officer David Nichols
Officer Kathryn Swarthout
Officer Roy Williams, Jr.