To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Posse / MSAR
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2009 17:55:14 -0800 (PST)
dana
i belong to the sheriff possee,/parade/drill team/search and rescue. i call it the do it all gang, All of us are volunteer with experience in criminal justice , nursing, administration, u name it, up until the last year my husband has done the training for the possee, but when he got sent to iraq they removed him from the board of directors, and we have yet to find out who is in charge of training the possee.
i am a member of ther cert team also and i am finding it alot easier for me and them to be called out with the cert team and easier to do training with the cert team, that way we all work hand in hand.so far we have done about 4-5 training together and i am working on getting us certified
if u have any questions email me
From: Dana Ferguson <dana.ferguson@cni.net> To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2009 5:42:22 PM Subject: Re: [MSAR] Posse / MSAR
Hi,
Thank you for your insight :-)
I commented in the e-mail below.
Dana
>I was wondering if there has been a split between the Posse >and MSAR in the Sheriff?s Departments out there.
There always is tension between these two roles, and in many places there are separate parade posse and MSAR groups. It can go either way and the best choice for you depends on your local circumstances. Sometimes a single organization does both, but in that case often there will be some separation of
activities within the organization. Some members can be relied on to ride in all parades and rodeos, but are not on the callout list for SAR missions, and vice versa.
Where trouble lies is in having one organization and expecting all members to do both parade/rodeo work and SAR missions.
[Dana] I am not sure what the expectations are yet only time will tell.
>Example: > >The Posse performs: parades, rodeos, and PR work for the >Sheriff. Ours just cut fair parking lot and concert >security from their mission.
Normal, both ways. I really dislike parking lot detail at events where alcohol is sold; far too many drunk drivers, far too high risk of accidents, to do that work for free or a nominal payment to the unit of $100 or so.
[Dana] Honestly I am with you here, not a roll I am willing to do even on foot.
>The MSAR performs: SAR assistance and is part
of the SAR >Organization as a specialty skill like K9 or Diver.
Fairly often, the MSAR unit is separate from other SAR groups in the county. If your MSAR unit can merge and stay merged with the other SAR specialties, I think that is a good thing.
[Dana] Well there are a few of us that only joined the Posse for the MSAR mission so hopefully we'll be fine in either place.
>We are having some re-organization growing pains in ours >right now due to a new Sheriff....
Situation normal, hopefully not AFU.
[Dana] Not sure yet.
>How many units out there wear the Sheriff/Deputy uniform in >their Posse and or have a badge and gun when performing >their mission?
Judging by photos on websites, I would say about half of all MSAR units (posse or otherwise) wear public safety type uniforms during parades and rodeos. Almost all units with Sheriff in their
name do so. None that I know of wear public safety uniforms during SAR missions; the common view in the SAR community is that uniforms signifying authority scare the subject and others more than they help.
[Dana] I agree with the MSAR should be in an appropriate uniform / working cloths that is comfortable for all aspects of MSAR. I am ok with just an orange vest saying "Sheriff's Search and Rescue Volunteer".
MSAR volunteers who are reserve officers may wear a badge and gun. A small minority of MSAR units today are reserve officer groups, but formerly this was very common. As far as I know, here in New Mexico only one MSAR unit still requires reserve officer status, and they are not a sheriff's posse; that is a separate group that does rodeos and parades. Many MSAR units and sheriff's posse groups drop the reserve officer requirement because it requires (1) continuity of
supportive relations with the sheriff's office, (2) long hours of non-SAR training and service, and (3) the cost of ammunition for annual firearm recertification.
[Dana] Yeah we are not going there with either MSAR or Posse.
In some states it is very common for civilian SAR volunteers and backcountry riders more generally to wear or carry guns.
[Dana] This is good to know we have elk, black bears and cougars in our county.