For many people, an Ole Miss home football game is not complete without a trip to the Square and a chance to see police officers patrolling the crowd on horseback.
Since 2011, the Oxford Police Department’s mounted unit has ensured people remain safe in the downtown area, especially during fall weekends when Rebel football games bring throngs of people to the city. While the football team and the food/fun offered by the Square might be the primary draw to downtown, the officers and their huge four-legged mounts have their own appeal.
“People get mad if (something comes up and) we don’t bring the horses downtown,” said David Misenhelter, officer in charge of the OPD Mounted Unit.
Civilians might not know the name of the dozen or so officers who volunteer their time to work an eight-hour shift on horseback, but most not only know the names of the six horses, they can identify them on sight.
“People know their names,” said officer and riding instructor Scott Stewart. “Our newest horse, Mailman, already has a fan club.”
The Mounted Unit also has a strong online presence thanks to the expansive social media following of OPD. There is also a Friends of the Mounted Patrol Oxford Facebook page.
Horses offer a less threatening presence for police, but they are a valuable resource for enforcing the law and protecting the public. An officer on horseback has eyes about 9 feet above the ground. That vantage point puts the officer well above crowds and allows the officer to see three blocks in any direction. They can also see over fences, in the beds of pickup trucks and behind hedges.
A mounted officer can spot arguments and potential problems before they happen. The view from above allows them to use the radio to alert nearby foot patrol officers of the location and description of participants in the altercation.
The Mounted Unit’s primary job on nights downtown is crowd safety. Part of that is making sure traffic on the street continues to flow. The horses help shuffle the crowd so things don’t get too congested, which could prevent emergency vehicles from having access.
“Downtown Oxford is so nice. We are maintaining the element of charm and make sure it stays positive and welcoming,” Misenhelter said. “When the football season gets tight, that tension follows the crowd downtown. When (the Rebels) lose a game, they come downtown angry.”
The combination of crowds and alcohol can spur trouble quickly. Being above the crowd helps the officers sense the mood of the crowd. If crowds have to be moved out of the way, or away from an altercation, the horse allows the police to do that with the least effort.
“It’s a way to enhance manpower. It’s not just officers on horses,” Misenhelter said. “A well-trained officer on a well-trained horse has the presence of 10 officers on foot. They can help change the crowd dynamic.”
For example, if a group is kicked out of a bar, a couple of officers and horses can de-escalate the situation and ease the group away from the area before things get out of hand.
“You’re not going to out-shove a horse,” Misenhelter said.
“Even our smallest horse is still 1,200 pounds of muscle and bone,” Scott said. “He’s not going anywhere.”
An unruly group might be angry about what happened in the bar, but for the most part, they’re not mad at the horse.
Oxford is one of the smallest cities around to have a mounted unit. The limited budget means they don’t have time or money to invest in young horses and train them. They have to purchase older horses that have already developed the personalities needed to work around large groups of people. They have to look for horses that likes people and crowds and aren’t spooked by sudden and loud noises.
Misenhelter said they try out horses on a probationary period and can usually tell within 30 days if they have what it takes to be a police horse; whether they are overly reactive or inquisitive. The department hopes to get eight to 10 years of service. The older, seasoned horses also help train the younger horses and take care of new riders. They also know their job and enjoy working.
Stewart was recently riding Gunsmoke, who has been at the department since 2011.
“We were dealing with a fight and there was a loud noise. He looked over to where the noise came from before I did,” Stewart said. “And before I could do anything, he had already started heading that way. We joke that I could almost jump off and he would do the job by himself.”
As fall approaches, the horses anticipate the weekend routine — being fed, groomed and led to the trailer for the trip from the barn east of town to the Square every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Over the years, the horses (and officers) have become celebrities in downtown Oxford.
“Throughout the night, people will come up to us and interact,” Stewart said. “They want to take pictures and find out more about the horses.”
Misenhelter agreed, saying they try to “park” the horses in high traffic areas so they can monitor the crowds. At the same time, they are in the middle of the foot traffic and it is natural for people to want to stop to see the horses.
The job has its fun side, like riding a horse and meeting friendly people. It also has a less fun side.
They try to feed and let the horse take care of its business while still at the farm. But nature does call while the horses are downtown. Each horse is “bagged,” a diaper-like device designed to catch manure. But it is not foolproof. Some horses hit the bag every time. Others aren’t so accurate and it is up to the officer to clean up the accident before someone steps in it.
“We do all the dirty work ourselves,” Misenhelter said. “You can’t do the fun stuff without doing the dirty work.”
