LORAIN COUNTY, Ohio — The new Lorain County Sheriff is hoping to add a new tool to the agency. A fundraiser planned for this weekend will kickstart efforts to start a new mounted unit in the county.
Sheriff Jack Hall’s new initiative is something of a throwback for Lorain County.
“It was a volunteer mounted unit. And that was prior Sheriff Vern Smith back in the ‘50s and ‘60s,” Hall explained.
More than a half-century after the county disbanded its former team, the current sheriff plans to launch a reimagined mounted unit.
“Not only does that provide an immense security presence, but it’s great public relations and community outreach,” he said.
Hall explained he saw the benefits of horses in law enforcement during his time with Cleveland Metroparks Police Department. Cleveland Police also has a mounted unit, used largely for crowd control or ceremonial purposes.
The Medina County Mounted Unit has been operating for 60 years and is currently made up of volunteer deputies and auxiliary members. They cover all costs, aside from uniforms and other gear the agency provides.
“It’s a labor of love for them. They do it because it’s something they love, they want to give back to the community,” said Medina County Sheriff’s Captain Chris Conwill.
He explained that new technology and tactics have changed the role of the mounted unit there and it’s now primarily used for community outreach.
“At the end of the day it’s a fan favorite. When the horses come out, people love the horses, they love to pet the horses. These horses are all very well-trained and behaved,” he said.
In Lorain County, Sheriff Hall said his unit would be made up of commissioned full-time and part-time deputies. The horses will be boarded at the Lorain County Fairgrounds in Wellington and their care would be covered by the sheriff’s office.
Hall said several deputies with equine experience would make a natural fit for the new unit.
“I’ve been involved with horses for over 30 years, maybe 30-40 years. And the sheriff found out that I have experience in horses and when he took office, he asked me to [be] a part of this,” said Deputy Deborah Hurlburt.
She explained caring for the horses would be a full-time commitment and the unit would be used for more than community outreach.
“Patrol, search and rescue,” she said. “Yes, it’s real nice to look pretty and to have us in parade formation, but yes we do have a full other use.”
Saturday, the Sheriff’s Office is planning a fundraiser to help cover startup costs for the unit, though Hall said the agency has already received enough private donations to purchase two fully-trained law enforcement horses and cover many of their initial costs.
Long-term plans for the unit may include both private and public funds.
He said the mounted unit would likely start this summer with community appearances. As funding and time allow, deputies would receive more specialized training to expand their roles.
He believes there’s already support building for the unit and said it’s part of his vision for rebranding the office.
“It provides a huge linkage in trust and rebuilding community confidence in the sheriff’s office. And that’s one of the things that a mounted unit does,” Hall said.
The inaugural Lorain County Sheriff’s mounted unit fundraiser will be held on Saturday, March 8, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in building 19 at the Lorain County Fairgrounds in Wellington.
The tack swap will feature raffles, door prizes and refreshments. Checks can be made payable to “Lorain County Sheriff’s Mounted Unit.”
