SEATTLE — Some police officers in Seattle are still riding horses.
Donations have saved the police department’s mounted patrol from budget cuts.
The city wanted to eliminate it last year, but the non-profit Seattle Police Foundation stepped in and promised to finance it until 2014 with support from the Seattle Hotel Association.
The fund-raising campaign was boosted last month with a $135,000 contribution from Expeditors International, the freight logistics company.
The Seattle Times reported the unit has seven horses that are kept at stables in a West Seattle park. It cost about $165,000 a year for housing, veterinary care and horse feed.
The unit’s sergeant, five officers and a civilian worker are city employees.
Sgt. Grant Ballingham said horses are especially helpful in crowd control.
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