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Two Months In, Worcester Mounted Unit Brings 'Visibility'

Seven officers trained to join the new Worcester horse unit.
Scott J. Croteau
/
MassLive
Seven officers trained to join the new Worcester horse unit.

It's been a little over two months since the Worcester police introduced officers on horseback. There are four horses and seven officers in the new mounted unit.

They've been patrolling parks, the Worcester Common and across the city. Police Chief Steven Sargent said they're also sent out to a neighborhood after a report of a shooting.

"We always make sure that we have more officers in that neighborhood the next day, anyway, going door-to-door," he said. "But this gives us an opportunity also to bring the horses down there to walk patrol through the neighborhood...There's nothing more visible than a mount -- a mounted unit."

Sargent said the officers on horseback have been very well received by the community.

In recent years, Boston and Hartford have gone in the opposite direction -- eliminating horse units.

Copyright 2017 New England Public Media

Before joining New England Public Radio, Alden was a producer for the CBS NEWS program 60 Minutes. In that role, he covered topics ranging from art, music and medicine to business, education, and politics. Working with correspondent Morley Safer, he reported from locations across the United States as well as from India, Costa Rica, Italy, and Iraq.

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