Miami Beach previously operated mounted police patrols: the department used horses in the 1930s, halted the program during World War II, and later brought patrols back for much of the 1980s and early 1990s. The unit ended in 1992 for financial reasons, according to the Miami Herald. In 2023, then-Mayor Dan Gelber also advocated reviving mounted patrols, the Herald reported.
Regional departments offer examples
The City of Miami Police, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office and Coral Gables operate mounted units, according to WSVN. Miami’s first mounted officer took to the streets in the mid-1940s, and the City of Miami’s unit includes seven officers and 11 horses; CBS Miami reported that the horses were donated and that the unit handles duties including traffic control, business outreach and crowd management. Miami-Dade formed its mounted unit in the 1970s. The Herald reported that calls in areas covered by its Operation Saddle Up patrols fell between 25% and 30% while the patrols were active; it also reported that Miami-Dade’s unit had eight officers and 13 horses and recorded more than 2,000 citations and 260 arrests in a single year.
Finance review is the next step
WSVN reported that Mayor Steven Meiner and Police Chief Wayne Jones have proposed adding mounted officers for large crowds by 2028, with crowd control and public engagement among the potential uses. Meiner has pointed to Ocean Drive, saying an officer on horseback could see above a crowd. WSVN reported an expected initial cost of $500,000.
The proposal’s funding source remains unsettled. Meiner has said donations would cover the initial cost, while Jones said the first year of operation would cost the city and residents nothing. Meiner said the proposal would go to a finance meeting before the full commission, according to WSVN.
Spending priorities and horse welfare
Commissioner David Suarez opposes the plan, arguing that tax relief should take priority over a project he considers unnecessary. He has also questioned how horses would be cared for in Miami Beach’s heat and humidity and kept clean in an urban setting. WSVN reported Suarez’s objections and that Meiner rejected the characterization of the proposal as animal cruelty. The proposal has not yet received a full commission vote.
Heat and horse care
UF/IFAS Extension says horses in hot, humid conditions can experience anhidrosis, heat stroke, electrolyte imbalances and dehydration. It recommends shade and continuous access to clean, fresh water, and hosing horses down after rides or workouts. These health risks make horse-care planning a practical consideration as the proposal is reviewed.
What agency records establish
Miami-Dade County’s FY 2023-24 adopted budget says its Mounted Patrol Unit was reinstated in FY 2022-23 to provide public relations and education, according to the county budget. That stated purpose does not establish staffing, facility or annual-cost figures for the City of Miami’s unit, or provide a cost or outcome comparison for Miami Beach’s proposed $500,000 startup funding.
