Up until about 45 years ago, Garfield County relied on a Mounted Patrol Unit (MPU) for different kinds of law enforcement operations.
Although it never formally disbanded, the MPU began to fade as priorities shifted. Recently, is bringing patrol by horseback back into action. In July of 2025, the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office formally announced their intention to resurrect the MPU. The unit has since been re-established and is now functional throughout the county.
“The [MPU] provides additional operational resources for accessing remote areas of the county more efficiently,” Shannon Stowe, Garfield County Sheriff’s Office public information officer, explained.
The MPU figures primarily into crowd control during community events such as local parades, town fairs and the ever-popular Carbondale Wild West Rodeo. According to Stowe, they also patrol remote and high-country areas of recreation –– most heavily during holidays –– like Coffee Pot Spring Campground and Meadow Creek Lake. “The MPU could potentially be utilized in support of search and rescue operations if a situation calls for it,” Stowe added. The MPU could even be a resource for ranchers dealing with disruptions like cattle theft during grazing periods.
The policy and procedure statement, released July 1, 2025, specifies a detailed list of eligibility requirements for both deputies and horses. For deputies, prerequisites include having a minimum of three years of law enforcement experience, possessing and maintaining riding abilities and holding a rank of Patrol Deputy II or higher. The horses are also screened for the position and must be at least 4 years old, possess a gentle disposition and boast good physical condition without lame limbs. So far, all the horses in the program have come from Garfield County.
For training, the deputies and their horses attend a week-long mounted patrol course with emphasis on methods for interacting with and navigating through crowds, search and rescue and more. The horses belong to and reside with their partner deputies.
Beyond the week-long patrol course, deputies are encouraged to continue training their horses. “The biggest investment in training for both horse and deputy is time. The MPU attempts to hold one training day per month,” Stowe stated. “Outside of scheduled training, deputies are responsible for maintaining and continuing the training of their horse on their own time.”
Stowe added that the MPU largely operates through donated resources and the commitment of the deputies involved.
This makes for a strategic asset that Garfield County can employ in response to situations where motorized patrol is less effective or wholly ill-suited. During the Meeker fires last August, the horses were deployed to provide support and relief. A horseback option equips law enforcement with higher vantage points and maneuverability unachievable by foot or car on difficult, backcountry terrain.
“Deputies are also responsible for transporting their own horses to a central deployment location when needed so the team can spend time together,” Stowe said. Additionally, “The Sheriff’s Office does have a trailer that serves multiple operational purposes.”
Found in the original news release is a quote from Garfield County Sheriff’s Corporal Kendall Foreman –– the prime advocate for efforts to revitalize the program –– stating, “Let’s keep western Colorado western.” The MPU integrates the history of this ranching community into the modern, yet still mountainous and rural, locale.
One of the biggest priorities of the MPU is community relations and outreach for recruitment. As the original news release stated, “Mounted officers and their horses often serve as ambassadors for the police agency.” That said, the MPU welcomes conversations and aims to encourage understanding and good relations among the community and its patrolling people and horses.