LENAWEE COUNTY
SHERIFF'S OFFICE
MOUNTED DIVISION
2009  

SUBMITTED BY SERGEANT DAVID AUNGST

     The Lenawee County Sheriff's Mounted Division has been an active part of the Sheriff's Office for over forty (40) years.  They serve under the direction of the Sheriff and through one (1) Road Patrol Sergeant advisor.  The Mounted Division have a command structure amongst their group which includes one (1) Captain, two (2) Lieutenants and two (2) Sergeants.

     The Mounted Division consists of sixteen (16) members which include seven (7) Life Members.  All volunteers must reside in Lenawee County, have their own horse, horse trailer and vehicle to tow the trailer which must pass an annual inspection.  There is mandatory training through the year, including C.P.R., First Aid, and firearm qualification.

          All members must work with their horse throughout the year to develop a trusting relationship with each other.  The horse must have a willing attitude and be capable of handling new and stressful situations that may occur in the community while they are on patrol.  The trust built between the horse and rider and that of the fellow team members is very important in all situations and obstacles they may encounter.

     It is important to mention the time, effort and resource commitment each member accepts as being part of the Mounted Division.  This includes preparation of the overall appearance, not only of the member in uniform, but the horse and tack.  The cooperation and willingness to work as a team gives each member a feeling of being an extended family.  You can sense this when you see them in a local parade or perhaps working at the Lenawee County Fair, just to name a couple events they participate in.

    The Mounted Division is all volunteer which gives them pride in serving the community in which they live.  Not only do the members give their time, but they are not reimbursed for any expenses.  Each member is responsible for their own maintenance of their equipment, feeding of the horses, vet bills, fuel and mileage to all events and any training the horse needs.  In 2009, the Mounted Members put in 2,905 hours of volunteer time.  They also drove a group total of 7,860 miles to attend all of the functions.  Most of their vehicles do not get good gas mileage.

  Sheriff Jack Welsh and the Lenawee County Mounted Division

PARADES AND PATROLLING OF SPECIAL EVENTS