Imagine... an officer that stands almost ten feet tall and weighs between 1000-1400 pounds. That is what makes the mounted officers job more effective than the normal street cop. When using them for crowd control or special events, they act as a tower of police visibility for the safety and security of those in attendance. Mounted units also provide an excellent public relations tool. The Marion County Sheriff's Office Mounted Unit was created in the 1960's with seven charter members. The unit has grown over the years and now encompasses 30 volunteer members. The volunteers use all of their own horses, trailers and equipment. During the year 2005, the Mounted Unit volunteers accrued a total of 4600 hours of service for the citizens of Marion County. This adds up to a savings of almost $100,000 to the taxpayers. The Mounted Unit is involved with many different aspects of the community. The unit is an intricate part of the Black Stallion Literacy Program. The volunteers utilize their horses to stress the importance of reading and also allows the students to see and touch the horses. The unit also is utilized for parking and security for large events. Some of these events include the high school graduations, rodeos, dosier days and the Live Oak Combined Driving events. The unit also assists with the Hospice trail rides and the Marion Therapeutic trail rides. Each year the Mounted Unit has been represented at the Law Enforcement Olympics. In 2005, the unit won eleven medals and in 2006, they won seven. The commitment and dedication of our volunteers has made them a professional unit that is an asset to the citizens of Marion County.

The Mounted Unit is always accepting new applicants. The unit meets on the first Tuesday of each month at the Sheriff's Office Operations building at 7:00pm. If you would like more information regarding this unit please contact Sgt. Scott Byrd at (352) 732-8181.