Monterey County Sheriff's
Mounted Unit formed in 2000
The Unit was originally formed to search for lost people.
A secondary mission is representing the Sheriff's Office at public relations activities.
The Mounted Unit is providing trail assistance at County parks - first aid, directions etc.
We are seeking "active" members that have the time, energy and interest required...
Download Application (.doc format)


Current members photo gallery

Purpose and objectives

The Monterey County Sheriff Mounted Unit is a mounted horse unit with citizen volunteers and Sheriff's sworn personnel. The unit consists of private citizens who have organized, under the guidance of the Monterey County Sheriff's Department for the purpose of assisting the Sheriff where horses might be used in a variety of situations.

Tax deductible donations may be made to support the Mounted Unit.
Send your check payable to:
Monterey County Sheriff's Advisory Council
Please note on the check that it is for the "Mounted Unit"
and mail it to
Monterey County Sheriff's Mounted Unit
17595 Vierra Cyn Rd PMB #172
Salinas, CA 93907

Few activities attract the attention or gain the community support as the use of horses. Mounted Unit personnel will strive to leave each citizen contact with a positive impression of the Mounted Unit and the Monterey County Sheriff's Department. Mounted Unit personnel shall embrace the Community Policing philosophy

The Mounted Unit requires a lot more training than actual response to emergencies.
We seeking "active" members that have the time, energy and interest required...

Regular Membership Requirements

Members of the Monterey County Sheriff’s Department Mounted Search Unit shall be governed through the Sheriff’s Office. Applications for membership shall be forwarded through the Sheriff’s Office. Requirements for regular membership are as follows:
  • Be a citizen of the United States of America
  • Be twenty-one (21) years of age.
  • Be of good character and reputation (as determined by passing the Sheriff’s Office background investigation).
  • Have a valid California driver’s license and proof of liability insurance.
  • Have a twelfth (12th) grade education or G.E.D. equivalent.
  • Pay annual dues of $50.00, renewed each year by June 30. (The $50 application fee/dues payment is required when you submit your application.) Not eveyone who applies will pass the required background and horse qualification requirement.
  • Maintain current CPR and First Aid certification.
  • Maintain qualification for self and equine, saddle and tack, and transportation for said animal.
  • Attend search and rescue related training.
  • Conform to the policies and procedures of the Monterey County Sheriff’s Department.

    • Mounted Unit members must provide their own horse, transportation and tack. Members should keep in mind that not all horses are appropriate for search or enforcement duties.

    1. Quarter Horses geldings are preferred. Other breeds, such as Paints, Arabians, Thoroughbreds, Paso's and Mustangs may be acceptable. Stallions are not acceptable.
    2. The Mounted Unit Coordinator will evaluate all horses and their riders for suitability.

    2007-2008 Officers & Sheriff's Office sworn personnel

    MU Officers/Board
    Heather Peacock, President
    Knute Brekke, Secretary/Treasurer     		Sworn personnel involved with the Mounted Unit
    Cmdr Ed Lorenzana
    Sgt. Ron Willis, Sheriff's Office Coordinator

    Meetings/Functions/Training Opportunities/Call-Outs
    Parades & Searches - wear your MSU uniform (not the MU t-shirt)
    Date/time/location subject to change - check here for updates or contact Knute or Ron to confirm.

    2008 Tentative schedule subject to change
    Jan 06Mounded Unit post Holiday party - pot luck and white elephant gift exchange.
    Party starts at 4 PM (Knute & Wendy's place)
    Jan 27Callout - search for missing 51 yr old missing her mother's home on the 74900 block of Copperhead Road in Bradley. The Monterey County Sheriff's Office search and rescue team found the body of Kim Bonita Elliott, 51, in a wooded area about 40 minutes after starting their effort.
    Feb 07Farm Day meet 8 AM at Salinas Valley Coolers- Horses and static display
    Participants with Horses: Knute & Wendy; Ground Crew: Heather
    Feb 16Trail Assistance Ride at Toro Park. Riders - Debbie, Wendy, Knute & Heather.
    Mar 06Farm day at King City fairgrounds - horses and static display
    Mar 22Callout - to search for local adult male missing for 4 days. Meet at Jolon & Inter-lake road at 9 AM. Five riders; Heather, Knute, Wendy, Debbie and Meg searched their assigned area for five hours but did not locate the missing person.
    Mar 23Toro Park - Easter Sunday This would be a good-will/meet and greet type event where we would ride to the different picnic areas in the Park and let the public come up and pet the horses. (cancelled following 3/22 search)
    Mar 29Callout - Continue 3/22 search for suicidal local adult male. We will be searching Area 10 on Saturday along with members of the SAR ground team. Meet at Jolon & Inter-lake road at 8 AM. Heather, Janice, Jim and Judith participated in the search.
    Mar 29Toro Park Trail Assistance Ride (Due to the 3/29 search request, the Toro Park Trail Assistance Ride this Saturday is canceled.)
    Apr 11-13Lake San Antonio joint training hosted by SLO Posse. (Riders: Knute & Wendy Brekke, Meg Blackmon w/Floyd as her guest, Janice Gilbertson, & Heather Peacock.)
    Apr 27Toro Park Trail Assistance Ride - We will meet Sunday, April 27 at 9:30 a.m. We will stage in the dirt parking area at Bessie Canyon. Take the main road into the park. The dirt parking area will be on the left across from the picnic areas. (Scheduled to ride - Janice, Debbie, Knute, Wendy & Heather)
    May 2-4Lake San Antonio Wildflower Triathlon PR Detail (Knute & Wendy Brekke, Janice Gilbertson, Debbie Hawkins, Meg Blackmon, Ron Willis)
    May 26Toro Park Public Relations Detail (Memorial Day Weekend) Let's meet at the Bessie Canyon parking lot at 10:30 a.m. I plan on riding the picnic areas and doing a "meet and greet." The uniform will be green pants, uniform shirt, and black saddle blanket.
    Heather.
    June 18Callout - 11AM on standby (without horses) if needed to help evacuate horses, provide relief to SEAT, assist in notification of residents threatened by fire in the Pine Cyn area outside King City.
    June 21Saturday, Toro Park cancelled
    July 04Friday, Toro Park (PR detail, parade uniform) Scheduled to ride: Janice, Knute, Wendy and Heather
    Update - July 4th Toro Park ride is cancelled. Heather talked to the Ranger and found out that the entire park is closed for the Scottish Games.
    Jul 19-20Salinas Rodeo Parade. (cancelled)
    July 27 We have a Toro Park Trail Assistance Ride scheduled for Sunday, July 27. We will meet at the Bessie Canyon Parking area at 11:00. We will ride in our search uniform (blue jeans) since we are not doing a PR event. Riders: Wendy, Knute, & Heather
    July 30County - Bring Your Child to Work Day - Courthouse 1200 Aguajito Road, Monterey
    Static display, a couple of horses and one member for ground crew. Participants Janice & Wendy.
       
    Aug 05National Night Out from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Natividad Creek Park in Salinas. Static display with a few horses and at least one member for ground crew. Participants - Wendy & Knute were on horseback and Janice was on ground. Ron was there for a little while. Samuel & Heather were there to lend moral support.
    Aug 16Family Ride and BBQ- Toro Park Riders: Knute, Wendy, Heather, Debbie & Janice
    Aug 31Monday, Toro Park (PR detail, parade uniform) Riders: Debbie, Kunte & Wendy
    Sep 20Sheriff's Office Open House event cancelled
    Oct 18Qualifications- Toro Park

    History - prior years activities, searches etc

    last update - 9/16/2008 4:42:42 PM

          Visitors since Aug 1, 2002