There might be a lot fewer people in public areas, but Atlanta Police — even the four-legged officers — continue to patrol the city.
The city of Atlanta posted a video on its Facebook page showing members of APD's mounted unit patrolling Piedmont Park on Friday morning.
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The mounted patrol unit includes 10 humans and 13 horses, and eight of each can be seen in the video securing the park.
"#AtlantaPolice mounted patrol are out in full force today surveying #PiedmontPark and reminding us to #StayAtHome. #ATLStrong," the post reads.
The horses aren't just for show, AJC reporter Alexis Stevens wrote in February. They play a role in helping communities feel safe. For example, after a Jan. 16 shooting near the Grant Park Recreation Center left a woman injured and forced a brief lockdown at Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School, mounted patrol officers lined up outside the school to soothe parents and children.
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First responders are exposed to the coronavirus daily, and officers throughout the metro area have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Although a cat, a tiger and a dog in Asia have tested positive, there have been no reports of horses contracting the virus.
The mounted patrol unit helps bridge the gap between communities skeptical of law enforcement, the officers told Stevens. The four-legged officers make that possible.
“You might not like police officers, but you like horses,” said Lt. Greg Lyon, the unit’s commander. “It’s hard to find people who don’t like both.”
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