Who is the WWHA member who is also part of our Wisconsin Capitol Police - Mounted Police??

ANSWER: Montana & Officer Joseph Volz

Horse Patrol Information

• Horse Name: Montana
• Horse's Years of Service: 3
• Breed: Tennessee Walker
• Horse's Age: 6
• Gender: Gelding
• Color: Black
• Size: 17 hands

Officer Information

• Officer: Joseph Volz
• Years of Service: 16
• Number Years a Member of WWHA: 6+

Philosophy of the Unit

Everyone sees the mounted officer on the horse and wonders why they do it. They are exposed to the elements and feel the heat of the horse as well at the sun. Any mounted officer will tell you it is for the love and respect of the animal and the love of the job which is why they do it. The horse is a working partner who is willing to lay down his life for his rider. Courage is a common virtue of a police horse. Their devotion to their rider and willingness and trust they have for their rider makes them a valuable asset to the Police Department.

History of the Mounted Unit

The use of Mounted Police officers goes back to the 1800's when horses were the primary use of transportation. In the early 1900's, the automobile became the dominant form of transportation and Police Departments around the nation began to use more cars and fewer horses. Most departments relied on foot officers and patrol officers to take care of the everyday tasks of policework.

In 1968, the Wisconsin State Fair Board was looking at ways of reducing lost revenue and damage to their property caused by people trying to gain free admission to the park. Little did they know that their early vision of using horse riders would develope into a mounted police unit that is know and respected around the country.

In 1973, the State Fair Board decided to disband the civilian riding group and augment the Police department with a Mounted Unit of sworn Police Officers. The Mounted Unit could now expand their use from just being a perimeter patrol to having the ability to assist the other foot officers within the park.

From 1973 to 2001, police officers working at the State Fair Park were under the direction of the State Fair Park Board. In 2001, the Wisconsin State Fair Park Police merged with the Wisconsin Capitol Police. The Milwaukee Division has the responsibility of all the State owned buildings in Milwaukee, as well as the Fair Park.

Our unit is commanded by Captain Wayne Schattschneider and supervised by Lieutenant Gregory Friberg. There are nine officers and two security officers on the unit. The unit also utilizes 3 civilian hostlers who care and feed the horses, clean the stalls and assist the officers with the care of the unit's equipment.

The Capitol Police Mounted Unit's mission consists of the prevention of crime, traffic control, crowd control and community relations. Assignment to the unit is voluntary. Officers of the unit work other events on foot or in a patrol car when the use of the horses are not needed.

Mounted Police Horse Requirements

• Mare (female) or gelding (neutered male) - no stallions allowed
• Minimum of 15.1 hands in height (a hand = 4" and is measured at the front shoulders)
• Good demeanor and willingness to work around people
• Certified using National Mounted Police training standards and pass yearly tests

Interesting Mounted Patrol Facts

• Police Horses must be trained to work in conditions most horses would not tolerate. They receive training for: Loud noises (crowds, guns, marching bands, etc.,) obstacles (steel grates on the streets, barricades, road flares, balloons, etc.,) and items that may be thrown at them (balls, frisbees, cups.)
• Our mounted unit specializes in public relations. Many people, both young and old, enjoy the opportunity to pet a horse and talk face-to-face with a police officer. We hope the people we meet walk away with an appreciation for the police.
• The expertise of a mounted unit officer in crowd control situations is invaluable. It has been estimated that one mounted officer on horseback has the effect of ten officers on foot. During the Fair, it is not uncommon to see a couple of mounted officers assisting in capturing livestock that broke free from their owners.
• Officers still ride on western tack as a tradition from when the unit was first developed. The tack consists of a saddle, breastcollar, saddleblankets with the department patch and reflective leg wraps that allows traffic to see the horse at night.
• The horses have to walk on asphalt and concrete as well as grass. In order to keep their feet sound, all the horses wear horseshoes. A person called a farrier puts on these shoes. During the Fair, officers work 12-hour shifts with their horses. The horses are offered water and hay every 2-3 hours, more if needed.
• One function of the Unit is traffic control. With race fans reaching into the thousands and fair crowds exceeding 100,000 people daily, it is important to move traffic through the park safely and quickly. We are used to escort emergency vehicles and other motorizied vehicles through the crowd.

Tactical Formations

Wedge, Echelon left, column left oblique, left & right Interlock. Does this sound like a strange language? These are just names of maneuvers our Unit uses. Moving a large group of horses in an orderly manner is still practiced today by our Unit as it was by Cavalry units of long ago.

Thanks

Thanks Joe for representing the Tennessee Walking Horse so well here in Wisconsin!

For more information about mounted police...take a moment to meet Joe Volz at one of our WWHA shows or events!