POLICE MOUNTED PATROL COORDINATOR at City of Columbia, SC

About the Department

The Police Mounted Patrol Coordinator is responsible for planning, supervising, and managing all operations of the department’s mounted patrol unit. This role oversees the training and deployment of mounted officers, the care and maintenance of horses and equipment, and the coordination of mounted patrol activities for public safety, special events, community engagement, and crowd control. This position serves as a key liaison between the mounted unit and other divisions, outside agencies, and the public.

Ability to ride for extended periods, maintain balance and control in chaotic environments (e.g., crowd control), and execute complex maneuvers. Involves frequent lifting of heavy objects, such as horse feed bags (often 50 lbs or more), saddles, and hay.
The work requires the following physical abilities to perform the essential job functions: fingering, handling, hearing, mental acuity, repetitive motion, speaking, talking, visual acuity, and walking.

Work environment involves significant time outdoors in varying weather conditions while remaining alert and professional in potentially busy, crowded or noisy environments. Involves travelling locally or regionally to events or locations which require driving in varying conditions often while towing a horse trailer.  

Position Duties

• Coordinates all mounted patrol activities and officers, providing guidance as needed
• Oversees the care, health, and training of all police horses.
• Develop and mentor personnel, ensuring they meet and maintain the highest standards of professional conduct and equestrian skill.
• Assist in the development, implementation, and enforcement of policies, procedures, and safety protocols for the mounted patrol unit.
• Manage the unit's expenditures and procure necessary equipment, feed, and veterinary services.
• Maintain detailed and accurate records of personnel, horse health, training logs, and patrol deployments.
• Prepare and submit regular reports to police command staff on the unit's activities and performance.
• Plan, organize, and execute mounted patrol deployments for routine patrols, special events, crowd control, and emergency situations.
• Design and oversee comprehensive training programs for both officers and horses, including advanced equestrian skills, crowd management techniques, and desensitization exercises.
• Ensure all equestrian equipment, including saddles, bridles, and tack, is properly maintained and meets all safety standards.
• Collaborate with other law enforcement agencies and community organizations to coordinate joint operations and public appearances.
• Act as a key liaison between the mounted patrol unit and the public, participating in community events, parades, and public demonstrations.

• Represent the police department in a professional and positive manner, enhancing the department's public image through community engagement and education.
• Performs general administrative / clerical work as required, including preparing reports and correspondence, entering and retrieving computer data, preparing spreadsheets, reviewing mail and literature, copying and filing documents, conducting and attending meetings, answering the telephone, etc.;
• Attends training, conferences, seminars, meetings, etc., to maintain job knowledge and skills; and;
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO PERFORM WORK: 

• Must possess a high level of horsemanship, including a deep understanding of horse behavior, health, and care. This goes beyond basic riding and includes the ability to train and manage horses for law enforcement purposes.

• Ten (10) years of law enforcement experience; with five (5) years of mounted patrol experience.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends as needed;

• Class I certification 

• Valid South Carolina Class “D” Driver’s License.

Other Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of horse anatomy, physiology, behavior, and health. This includes understanding nutritional needs, common illnesses and injuries, and the ability to recognize signs of stress or illness in a horse.
• A mastery of equestrian skills, including riding in various environments, advanced tactical maneuvers, and the ability to train both green and seasoned horses for police duty.
• Specific knowledge of mounted patrol applications, such as crowd control, search and rescue, high-visibility patrols, and tactical formations.
• Knowledge of personal computers and programs such as word processing software, spreadsheets and presentations;
• Ability to gather, organize, analyze, examine or evaluate data or information and may prescribe action based on such data or information;
• Ability to provide information, guidance or assistance to people to directly facilitate task accomplishment; may give directions or assignments to helpers or assistants;
• Ability to handle or use machines, tools or equipment requiring brief instruction or experience, such as computers for data entry, fax machines, copiers, telephones or similar equipment; may service office machines, including adding paper and changing toner;
• Ability to perform coordinating work involving guidelines and rules, with constant problem-solving;
• Ability to read technical instructions, procedures, manuals and charts to solve practical problems; composing routine reports and specialized reports, forms and business letters with proper format; speaking compound sentences using normal grammar and word form;
• Ability to perform specialized technical or entry-level professional work requiring general understanding of operating policies and procedures and their application to problems not previously encountered; application of specialized technical or professional principles and practices or the use of a wide range of administrative methods in the solution of problems; requires normal attention with short periods of concentration for accurate results and occasional exposure to unusual pressure; and
• Ability to guide others, requiring frequent decisions affecting co-workers and others who depend on the service or product; works in a somewhat fluid environment with rules and procedures but with many variations from the routine.
• Knowledge of addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, and/or calculating ratios, rates and percentages;