The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

mmmocmomaa-mmmmq O l 0 Local poltce look to add horses to the stable of work they do m the region mummme "' . ‘ ' a . ' Owniclermfl . ' “nary-NA l “a ' s = ‘ ' ' . t ‘. . ’ . ey could soon be trotting ' k a . "' - x ' l“. . ' ". , . ’ ’ through uptown and patrolling ‘ . ' ‘.Q ' y. _- Waterloo Park But the nmt " ' ‘ â€", potential additions to the Waterloo 4 ' ’ . ch'omtl Police Savioe word he wear- 9 if“ 3 ' The service is pitching a pilot ' at" project that would see two horses 1 x . ' ' 7 ' ' ' - 1 1 added to their tool kit. , ' ' ‘ -, > v: . , . . The horses would be kept at ‘, » \s\ K ~ t , 1 ' f Kitchener's Pride Stables, near ' g" ' ’ -‘ "" fig, ‘ g- police headquaners, and would be '. ff” 1» " ’ 3" used for regular patrol duties as , " f i‘ 3. r . well as increasing officer visibility l . ix; I at festivals andfairs ’_ v- k L ‘ ' i “If there‘s one community in , \ A Ontario. one county or region , ‘_ ‘ where horses ought to be, it's this “feel? one." police chief Matt Torigian ‘ ' 15 < said. “When we see them emerging ' 1 in Hamilton. existing in Toronto. ‘ r ; ‘ existing in Niagara, existing in "" i _ 7"; Kingston and Ottawa, it just makes ; Q , sense” ‘; l i 57 , The service borrowed horses i A, ‘ ~ and olficers from Niagara Regional £43 Police to test the waters at the , 1? Kitchener Multicultural Festiwl in ' _ ~ - lime and cricket game in Waterloo . ' z} Atboth events. they were over- '. whelmedbytherasponse. -... ' “I couldn’t believe how nice it wastohavepeoplecomeupmyou PolioeChlel‘MattTorosiangre-sarockMWatuiooRegionangtShamaMonisdwhgaconvnunityakketmatdi lastweekend.Totiglansaid adding and how positive they were about horses to the service would help petite create connections in the community mum um police and our role,” said Sgt. Shae- ect before their board in Septem- that it's something that’sless neces- complete. Torigian said they they’re running pilot projects in mi Morris, a local officer who her. The service will likely work sary or an extravagance, but it's haven‘t decided if they’ll make the Hamilton and Niagara Falls and hopped on Brock. one of the Niaga- with Hamilton to purchase the peat value. it’s extremely inexpen- program exclusive to olficers with We spoke to my BIA counterparts ta horses, for a tour around the horses. Morrlssaid. sive in the grand scheme ofthlngs experience or open it up to any there and it's so far so good. They park Saturday. Police services typically favour and it provides great value for our patrol oflicerwho is interested. love it.” “They asked so many questions draft horses, like the Pemhetons service" The Toronto Police Service has The horses would not be used about our job, what we're doing, med by Megan. we they have a The idea is to make the horses agreed to provide training to both for crowd control. Torigian said, and it was really nice to be we to gdbd temperament and large available to patrol officers who theHamilton andWaterloo Region- but brought out to encourage talktothemlikethat. mnnessliesaid. choose to take them out. just like ' al services if their projects are interaction with the community. “Thisissomethingthatwould mehoraeaandequlpmentwill tbebikospolicecunemiyuseinthe approved. Healsopoiruedouttheservkecan benefit the community tremen- cost around $33.“ initially and downtovnn and parks, Torigian Regional police have already use them as a recruitment and dously" about $19,000 a year alter that to said received several letters of support advettlsingtool A veteran rider herself. Morris is maintain. Police spokesperson. "We’re not creating a mounted from a number of community ”Time's aho acetemonial bene- organizing the logistics of the lnsp. Steve Beckett, emphasized unit.“ he said. “All we’re doing is organizations, including the fit to this because we are going to regional pilot project. The proposal that investment is small given the purchasing a deployment option Up'lbwn Waterloo BIA. look-I using madlyear round â€" at is going before the police services benefitstheservioeamicipam andthebenelltsareexponentlal.” ‘ "We think the visibility of it the MapleSyrup Festival. the Cam- boardonSepta. ”rhoaxttopmchaaaandbep ’ flaw-terlooeetvicehasseveral would be very cool.” said Patti WELWltulooPark'hesaid. Regional police have been in themiortheyearisleesthanhalfof oflcora who have riding experi- iBrooks. executive director of the “What we've heard from the contact with the Hamilton police. one constableh wages." he said '1 ence. but there is police-specific BIA. community is. What an incredible whomputtingasimilarpilotproj- thinktherdhatemptationtothlnk trainingmountedollicersneedto "I’m interestedinthefactthat mytomakeconnoaions” -