The Key West Police Department’s newest cadet has been in town less than a week and is getting picked on by a boisterous colleague — who’s also his roommate.
Officer Santiago Perez described the pair’s interaction by saying, “Murph’s young. He’s like the annoying little brother who always has to be at the center of things. I swear, he’ll lift our radios right off our belts. And watch out, he’ll take something out of your purse.”
Perhaps now would be a good time to explain that Murphy is a police horse, one of three in the department’s mounted unit that are housed in stables at Truman Waterfront. And though he’s the youngest, Murphy has been on the job longer than his partners, Max, who’s been on patrol about two months, and Maverick, the newbie who arrived from a farm in Blairsville, Georgia on Aug. 21. His breeding as a draught cross horse combines the strength of a draught horse with other breeds’ gentle temperament.
“He’s doing great, and was already trained in Georgia on some of the police obstacle courses and other skills,” said Mounted Patrol Officer Mike Wolf, adding that Murphy came from the same farm more than three years ago. “But Maverick’s still getting acclimated to our heat, so we’re taking it easy for now. We’re also trying to show him how much more comfortable he’ll be if he stands in the shade, but he hasn’t figured that out yet.”
The mounted unit’s stables have plenty of shade, water and breezes. But Key West in August is vastly different from the pleasantly mild temperatures of the north Georgia mountains that are familiar to Maverick.
“So far, Mav is working out great, but he’s still the new recruit and is in his probationary period,” said Sgt. Nick Revoredo. “As long as he gets acclimated to our heat, we’re hoping to have him out on the streets for Fantasy Fest.”
The Key West Police Department’s Mounted Unit gives officers an advantage in crowd management and control, “providing a visible and authoritative presence in public gatherings, parades and special events,” states the department’s website. “The horses’ height advantage allows officers to maintain excellent visibility, communicate with the public and quickly respond to any developing situations. Additionally, the unit fosters positive community relations, as the officers on horseback are approachable, engaging and readily available to interact with residents and visitors.”
