Bethlehem, PA had brought back the mounted police at Musikfest this year. It turned out to be a huge success and, therefore, Bethlehem is considering adding the mounted patrol to their police force.
Of course, Bethlehem has many details to iron out in regards to the mounted police. The police department is looking at having 2 horses and 3 officers patrol the historic downtown area of Bethlehem. The horses main use would be for patrols, but may also be used in parades and the city's many festivals. It could be a great public relations tool.
Bethlehem's mounted patrol would be modeled after the Lancaster, PA unit, which is currently in place.
The city of Bethlehem is hoping to partner with the Historic Bethlehem Burnside Plantation, which is a farm in the middle of the city complete with a stable and plenty of open space for grazing. This would be an ideal place due to the location to the downtown area.
Looking into the cost, on average, a horse would cost about $250 a month in feed and about $800 per year in veterinary care. A police vehicle costs $30,000 plus $1,500 in fuel costs. Looking at the math, which do you think would be more cost effective?
The horses would be either donated or rescued from race tracks and would look for volunteers to take care of them.
The idea is well-received. It seems like there are a number of officers that would like to be in the mounted unit. So, no problem there.
Once all the details are worked out, Bethlehem may be looking at police horses as a permanent addition to their police patrol. I'm all for it.
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