Paul Revere Weeps: City of Boston Seeks Homes for Veteran Equine Officers
Tonight's news report from the New England Cable News Network sums up the shock and sadness in this city tonight as we learn that the Mayor plans to go ahead with the dissolution of the oldest mounted police unit in the United States.
Horses and humans lose their jobs sometime this summer.
These horses have stood watch over our famous World Series celebration riots, labor strikes, Pope visits, the Sacco-Vanzetti trial (and executions), Super Bowl victories, Larry Bird's NBA Championship years, JFK, the Big Dig, Civil War peace jubilees, anti-busing school desegregation demonstrations, the Ryder Cup, the Coconut Grove nightclub fire, two World Wars, the Tall Ships, several National Democratic Conventions, the Molasses Flood, student revolutions, The Great Boston Fire, the Boston Strangler, Fourth of July concerts with fireworks (they didn't flinch) on the banks of the Charles River, and over 100 Boston Marathons. And a whole lot more.
Next week will be their last Boston Marathon.
They even survived Michael Dukakis, John Kerry, Teddy Kennedy and yes, even Mitt Romney.
The first official retirement home for horses in the USA was Red Acres Farm in Stow, Massachusetts, built so these horses would have a place to go. But, sadly, it's gone too.
I received the sad news today from Paula McVey Walsh, wife of one of the mounted officers you will see in the video. Thanks, Paula.
Labels: Boston, Horses, Massachusetts, mounted, police
posted by Fran Jurga @ 4/09/2009
3 comments
3 Comments:
That's really upsetting. I would love to buy one of these horses if they weren't so far away. I think it's best that they go to other police departments, though, as the man said in the video.
Thanks for you story on the police horses. I heard that someone picked up all the horses as a unit this afternoon. Maybe they’re all going to a farm up in New Hampshire or Maine. Any idea where they went or what the plans are for them?
Someone should get the Police Chief of Boston to call Bill Bratton, the Chief in Los Angeles. The Lakers victory parade and celebration at the Coliseum this past week was well on it's way to becoming a fiasco, thanks to local idiots. A large crowd was trying to crash the gate while throwing bottles at the Mounted Unit. The Mounted Unit went to work and brought a stop to the violent nonsense in very short order and if they hadn't done what they did, a riot would have started, morons and gangbangers had already given a preview a few nights before and looted and rioted. Boston's leaders may think they are saving money but in the long run those horses could save the City millions in potential damages and lawsuits. Fight to keep your mounted unit Boston!
Good luck!
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