Mounted search and rescue

[Una Smith <una.smith@att.net>]

Below is some information about the MSAR unit in Floyd County,
Georgia, from http://www.fcsoga.com/programs.php.

        Una Smith
        New Mexico

Sheriff’s Community Posse

The Sheriff’s Community Posse is an all-volunteer organization under the 
direct supervision of the Sheriff, that responds to the call of the Sheriff 
in times of great need or emergency. In times past, the Sheriff called out 
the Posse in the event of an escape or roundup of bad-guys. Today’s Posse is 
much different, yet in some ways the same. Although The Sheriff’s Community 
Posse today still responds to the call of the Sheriff in times of emergency, 
natural or man-made disaster, plane crash or other emergency event deemed 
worthy of a Posse “callout,” the goal is an eclectic function of support, 
community involvement, and emergency response.

Although the Sheriff can assign “arrest powers” to a posse member, very 
rarely does that ever happen. Community Posse members do not have arrest 
powers unless given so by the Sheriff, and the extent of those emergency 
powers last only until the event is exhausted.

The Sheriff’s Community Posse, when activated, does have the benefits 
(insurance, workers compensation, etc) of a Deputy Sheriff during the 
emergency event. All Posse members undergo an extensive background check by 
the Sheriff's Office and are not armed unless designated by the Sheriff. All 
Sheriff’s Community Posse members should have a valid ID card issued by the 
Sheriff's Office.

Today’s Sheriff’s Community Posse is multi-faceted and divided into three 
divisions:

The Emergency Unit

The Emergency Unit responds at the call of the Sheriff to the scene of such 
emergency, sets up command post and conducts search, rescue and recovery 
services at designated locations. This unit is trained on search methods, 
crime scene preservation, and immediately notifies the appropriate police 
agency upon recognizing a crime scene. This unit trains locally with the 
Floyd County Emergency Management Agency and is a modern day equivalent to 
its early predecessors. While many members still have horses, many others 
have ATVs, airplanes and boats that include a dive team.

[...]

For more information contact: Lt. Scott Knight @ 706-291-4111 ext. 813 or 
Email at Floyd_lt@comcast.net