SAVANNAH, GA – A bar patron in Savannah, Georgia learned a hard lesson on Saturday night after punching a police horse.
Many people fail to realize that a mounted police officer’s horse is every bit as much a member of the police department as the human officer riding it. This also means assaulting one of these police horses can come with some heavy consequences.
@Rosie_Folks Rosie we want hugs.. these two horses are also police officers Sargeants.. Mounted patrol Savannah, ga. pic.twitter.com/h2D4VLlRpN
— Denny Oliver (@DennyFloorguy65) May 10, 2014
Savannah Police Department reported that a bar patron slapped a police horse after being told to leave the establishment.
While the horse did not respond to the attempted insult, the police officers did. The horse-hitter was arrested, marking the first arrest by the new officers on the force.
Police officials say that while assault on a police horse is rare, it does happen. If the assault causes bodily injury to the horse, it is a felony. Otherwise, it is a misdemeanor.
The offense is punishable by a fine or jail time, but police say they have had some offenders work off the fine by scooping manure in the horse stables.
Many areas, such as Savannah and New Orleans, have areas where several bars are located closely together. These areas are often patrolled by mounted officers. While the human officers enjoy speaking to patrons and passersby, they usually do not encourage petting their horses, which are also considered members of the police force.
All cities should have police on horses. #Savannah pic.twitter.com/t9q3dQRS
— Laura Reid (@laurakivireid) October 20, 2011
Many assaults like the one in this story tend to take place outside of bars when the perpetrators are intoxicated.
Police make arrest in connection with Molotov cocktail attack on police, four police horses
July 17, 2020
ALBANY, NY – Police in Albany, New York have made an arrest in connection with a May 30 incident in which a Molotov cocktail was thrown at four police officers and their horses in the city during one of those “peaceful” protests following the death of George Floyd.
Authorities told News10 in the city that Dwight Parker, 38, of Troy, New York was arrested at his home on Thursday morning in Troy by Albany detectives with the assistance of the Troy Police Department.
The arrest was a culmination of an investigation by the Albany Police Department’s Detectives Criminal Investigation Unit.
Police allege that on May 30 at approximately 9:15 p.m., Parker launched a Molotov cocktail at the four police officers who were on horseback during a riot taking place in the area of South Pearl and Arch Streets in Albany. The incendiary object exploded direct at the feet of the four officers on horseback.
Parker is facing charges of four counts each of attempted assault 1st, attempted aggravated assault on a police officer, attempting to injure a police animal, and one count of reckless endangerment 1st.
In addition to Parker, police also arrested Shalene Allen, 37 and Imari Allen, 18, Parker’s wife and daughter for roles in the May 30 riot. They were both charged with one count of Inciting a Riot 1st.
38 y/o Dwight Parker was arrested for throwing a molotov cocktail at four police horse during a riot at the Albany Police South Station on 5/30. His wife and daughter were also charged for their roles in the riot. More – https://t.co/IbIodugYfg pic.twitter.com/iHiKMIzsMc
— Steve Smith (@APDSmith) July 16, 2020
Parker was arraigned in Albany Criminal Court on Thursday, with bail set at $40,000. The other two family members are scheduled for arraignment on August 8.
Police also said that at the time the Parkers were arrested, Troy officers recovered a loaded handgun from inside the home.
Officials say that charges pertaining to the firearm are forthcoming by the Troy Police Department.
The arrest was the latest related to the May 30 riot, according to The Daily Gazette. Last month an Albany man was arrested in connection with the burning of a tractor trailer during the same riots.
Ah-Juan Boyd, 24, was arrested and charged with one count each of first-degree riot, third-degree arson, and second-degree criminal mischief, all of which are felonies.
Boyd was accused of participating in the riot in which rioters stopped a tractor trailer and forced the driver from the rig. Boyd then set the tractor trailer on fire in the middle of the road. After his arrest, Boyd was arraigned and released pending a subsequent court date.
Yet another man, James Vail, 21 of Delmar was alsohttps://twitter.com/13thPanther/status/1267308682838183937 arrested last month and charged with first-degree riot, first-degree attempted assault, second-degree assault, and third-degree criminal mischief.
Vail was arrested in connection with an incident where he threw a brick at an officer’s head at around 7:00 p.m. on May 30 at the Albany PD’s South Station. The officer suffered a concussion as a result of the incident, and was treated at a local hospital, according to police.
Vail also was responsible for throwing a brick at an Alban police cruiser parked at the station, shattering the window, police said.
The May 30 fracas started after a group of people had gone to the South Station to speak with police officers. Several officers came out and spoke with the group, then returned in side, according to The Record.
After the officers went back inside, they were paid back for listening to the crowd by having rioters throw bricks at police vehicles. Officers came outside again, this time in riot gear and were greeted with thugs throwing water bottles, bricks, and rocks toward officers.
As a result of the riot in Albany, the Albany County Probation building, health department building, and board of elections buildings were all destroyed.
Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said at the time:
“What went on in this county is nothing but despicable. I never thought I’d see Molotov cocktails and fireworks shot at police here.”
—
Want to make sure you never miss a story from Law Enforcement Today? With so much “stuff” happening in the world on social media, it’s easy for things to get lost.
