Rogers County Sheriff’s Office Holds Mounted Patrol Tryouts

The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office is looking for its newest mounted patrol team members to join the 17 they have right now.

The sheriff’s office uses courses, drills and even hula hoops to evaluate both the horse and the rider to see if they have what it takes to join a very unique team.

They are one of the only departments in the state to have a fully staffed search and rescue team of horses.

To find the right ones, they put the horse and rider to the test.

 "We are trying to see how the horse will react to what we call in the industry, spooks. So we've designed what we feel is a pretty good evaluation," said Major. Coy Jenkins with the Rogers County Sheriff's Office.

Jenkins says the Rogers County Sheriff's Office Mounted Patrol team specializes in search and rescue. It is important to make sure riders have control of their horses.

"We know that there are horses that are going to have issues, and that's fine. We are looking for how the rider takes the horse and responds to them when they are involved in an encounter with the spook," said Jenkins.

Danielle Weavel is a paramedic and has been riding horses since she was five.

She wants to join the team because she knows it's unique.

"I think it is awesome to understand that horses can go and do things that vehicles can't. So, I think it's pretty awesome to have that as an option for whatever need that might be," said Weavel.

Jenkins tells me they need the horses to cover the 711 square miles of Rogers County.

"We have been called on several situations where officers can't take their patrol cars. There are some areas you literally can’t take any kind of motorized vehicle in," said Jenkins.

Jenkins says this program is unique because the department doesn't take care of the horses... each officer does. 

It is all volunteer.

"Everything they do they volunteer time, their horse, their tack. their mode of transportation on getting their horses to our call outs, to training," Jenkins said.

If you or someone else you know would like to try out for the mounted patrol team, they will hold another tryout later this spring.