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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Important: institutional memory

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: "T'mi Fi" <tfinkle@erols.com>
  • To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Important: institutional memory
  • Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2009 07:59:26 -0500

Doug,

Using paid staff to ride their own horses while on duty could open up a can of worms especially when it comes to identifying work related duty hours for your personnel. There are numerous mounted patrol program across the USA that includes paid personnel using their own equines while being On-Duty, but in many cases an agency will create two separate mounted entities (one for paid - one for volunteers). In the State of Maryland there are two law enforcement agencies that utilize volunteer personnel and their personally owned equines. The Maryland Department of Natural resources has a Volunteer Mounted Patrol (VMP) program that is very succesful, which may be a program worth checking into. The National Capitol Park and Planning Commission Police in Prince George's and Montgomery County MD have (both) paid mounted officers that ride agency owned horses, as well as a program for civilian volunteers who use their own horses. There are also several mounted patrol teams sponsored by Sheriff's Department in Virginia and West Virginia (the volunteers are technically non-paid employees that are covered under workers compensation laws). It should be noted that in Maryland and after 36 months of service with a VIPS agency or mounted search & rescue organization, a $3,500 tax credit is given to those who volunteer their time.

Keep in mind that full time staff of your organization will more than likely need to be paid to for their complete duty time. A web search for "Mounted Patrol Non-Duty Patrol Training" will provide a hosts Departments that have both mounted volunteers and paid mounted staff who use their own horses and related details that could be adopted by your agency. You will also need to research applicable case law that applies to your paid personnel using personal equines and what is considered non-duty time for them. The police department I retired from had a mounted unit and at one time considered using horses owned by its officers, but due to liability and legal issues they decided to have department owned horse, transportation needs and related gear. Officers were paid from the time they walked into the stables until their tour of duty was not over and they walked out.

You may want to consider contacting the Honolulu Police Department, Human Resources Division – Special Duty Section at 801 South Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Telephone: (808) 529-3610. They have a Special Duty program were officers volunteer time, but special duty time is compensated by the Department. Additionally, Orange County Florida PD has a very nice set of special orders that addresses their VMP, which can be seen at: <http://ocsomountedposse.com/special%20order.html>

Best of luck with your new mounted unit! As you know the devil is in the details.

T'mi
www.trotsar.org

Doug Reynaud wrote:

Una, I've been on your list for quite a few months. I am employed by Santa Clara County Open Space Authority In California. As a Generalist Ranger I have a wide range of duties not limited to land management . I am in the creation of programs and policy. I have formulated and started a volunteer trail patrol that emphisizes the multi use phylosophy . I have also put together a within agency mounted program and manual in which I would be happy to share. My question for you is, are there any agency msar and or mounted patrols that allow the use of rider owned mounts. This is a problem that stands in the way of our agency getting a mounted unit in servce. Our agency cannot afford the purchase of mounts, yet we have staff who own good mounts and are willing to use them. Thank you for your consideration -Doug Reynaud







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