Portland’s Mounted Patrol Force

by Sarah Norton

Last week, I was walking in the Pearl District from the Henry back to the office and stumbled upon this scene at the intersection of Couch and 11th.  It was one of those moments that made me distinctly appreciate our Portland community.  A community that has both the old and the new intertwined even in the middle of one of the busiest intersections of the downtown area.

Portland Mounted Patrol

Portland Mounted Patrol

I have run by the stables for the mounted patrol horses- it is located on the waterfront next to the new Waterfront Pearl condominiums – and I’m always curious what types of problems these equestrian agents of the Portland Police force have to deal with.  I found out that the mounted patrol is very effective in the downtown corridor at controlling crowds and small crimes.  The police officers are able to see and hear more because of their higher position on top of the horse.

I love that not only do these horses help the police fight crime- they also take me back to another era. Portland still has many throw backs to our “wild west” days- the underground smuggling network of tunnels, the horse tie up rings that are now blocked with car parking stalls, the smoke stack in the Brewery Blocks, even the streetcar has a certain element of nostalgia.  The charm of Portland’s blend of the old and new struck me especially on this particular day even though we get to experience it often in the Pearl.

May 2, 2009 · Filed Under Neighborhoods

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