Mounted unit gives officer four legs up on crime

This week will be part one of my introductory series on the Boulder City Mounted Police and Posse Unit. Literally, a mounted officer stands out and above the crowd.

The officer sits about 5 feet higher than the top of a patrol vehicle, and one mounted officer is equivalent to 10-15 on foot in a crowd situation. The officer has a better view of happenings in a crowd, which means a faster response, and the patrol horse’s size and weight enables him to get through the biggest crowds and provides protection for other responding emergency personnel on foot.

The officer and patrol horse go through rigorous training certifications and have almost daily continued training after all the initial trials and tests. This means Odie, Boulder City’s patrol horse, gets introduced to various scenarios and situations that help make him more comfortable.

The mounted patrol horse can cover all types of terrain — basically, a four-wheel-drive vehicle with a brain. In addition to patrol work at events, downtown, on streets and in parks, the patrol horse is an ideal vehicle for search and rescue. Unlike a patrol car or off-road vehicle, Odie runs on hay and water. He can cover long distances without much effort.

Odie gets the best care and supplements, as he is truly an athlete. Like most mounted police horses around the country, Odie is officer owned and cared for. Mounted officer Scott Pastore personally cares for and finances all vet bills, feed, special horseshoes and supplements. Like most mounted units, Pastore also relies on donations to help offset the expenses.

Oct. 5. Assist other jurisdiction: The officer is en route to his home and encounters a rolling domestic (in a car) and keeps the scene safe until the appropriate units arrive on scene at 2:10 a.m. in the area of Mission Drive and Spanish Needle Street in Henderson.

911: The caller is an elderly subject who states the doctor is discharging her and she objects. She is requesting an officer come intervene at 6:27 a.m. in the 900 block of Adams Boulevard.

Thought for the day: I am not sure I’ve ever encountered anyone who wanted to stay in a hospital.

Oct. 6. Suspicious: The caller states a disheveled-looking man is standing along the side of the road performing lewd acts at 7:57 a.m. in the area of Veterans Memorial Drive and U.S. Highway 93.

Assist: The caller states that an elderly man from the neighborhood was taken to the hospital recently, and now a relative is at the door demanding the extra key to the elder’s house at 12:51 p.m. in the 200 block of Big Horn Drive.

Thought for the day: I want this neighbor in charge of my neighborhood watch program. He was given instructions, and he is not deviating from them.

Oct. 7. Drugs: The officer sees someone pushing a shopping basket away from the business area, and among the items being transported was a fair amount of illegal substances at 4:11 a.m. in the area of Nevada Way and Fir Street.

Civil: The proprietor has served an eviction notice and this morning finds the office wrapped in crime scene tape and the area flooded at 8:40 a.m. in the 700 block of Elm Street.

Thought for the day: I’m surprised to know the value of the shopping cart almost exceeds the possible financial gain of the narcotics.

Oct. 8. DUI with accident:The palm tree sustains minor damage, but the air bag does a bit more to the driver at 1 a.m. in the 800 block of Nevada Way.

DUI: A traffic infraction turns into a much bigger deal at 10:39 a.m. in the 500 block of Fir Street.

Thought for the day: That’s not a great way to end a beautiful weekend.

Oct. 9. Welfare check: The caller would like a check on a relative who has been drinking and may be living in a cave and traveling by canoe at 12:24 p.m. in the 800 block of Nevada Way.

Suspicious vehicle: The caller thinks the vehicle with out-of-state plates is loitering in the area at 8:44 p.m. in the 800 block of Robinson Lane.

Thought for the day: The new owner of property in the area wants to scope out what his new purchase looks like at night.

Oct. 10. Accident: The vehicle has hit a light pole and is now resting on the rocks nearby at 9:21 a.m. in the 800 block of Nevada Way.

DUI with accident: The caller states his kids heard a big crash, and now there’s a car blocking the driveway, and the driver appears to be passed out at 7:23 p.m. in the 100 block of Wyoming Street.

Thought for the day: I’m thinking the car repair business must be booming around here.

Oct. 11. Disturbance: The caller has heard yelling outside and would like an officer to check the area at 2:33 a.m. in the 1300 block of Arizona Street.

Civil: One party is reporting anti-bird coating applied to a common area, and the other party insists this is in response to the animal food and feces attracting flocks of them at 10:01 a.m. in the 1300 block of Colorado Street.

Thought for the day: Rumors of a haunted house as the source of the screaming may be greatly exaggerated.

Tina Ransom is a dispatcher with the Boulder City Police Department. She is coordinator of the Boulder City Citizen’s Academy.