The Horse Force

Plastic bags used to vex horses Blondie and Petey. The crinkly sound the bags make was like fingernails on a chalkboard to the horses, which would buck whenever they came across one.

Then they went to desensitization school. A helicopter hovered over their heads as firecrackers that imitate the sound of gunfire echoed in the background. Crowds rushed, a plastic tarp was placed in their path and smoke bombs blew up as sirens screamed.

Plastic bags these days? No problem. Now the horses are equine police.

Inglewood Police Det. Diane Seymour and Sgt. Ron Jackson have used their riding horses to start a mounted patrol, which made its third appearance Sunday for the Lakers game at the Forum.

Seymour and Jackson pay for stabling and feed, which runs about $120 a month, and they each provide a trailer to transport the animals. It’s all worth it, they say, to bring a horse patrol to the area and to be able to ride their horses regularly.

“We both love police work and we love horses,” said Seymour. “Now we get to do them both at the same time. How can you beat that?”

Jackson normally heads the traffic division, and Seymour, formerly a canine officer, works as a robbery detective. The officers also work the mounted detail, which is limited to special events such as parades, festivals and Forum games.

It wasn’t easy getting the city to approve the patrol. When the officers pitched the idea to city officials more than a year ago, there was no funding for the unit. So the equestrians spent their own time and money training with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in hopes of bringing the city around.

The sheriff’s Castaic facility conducts monthly training for 32 mounted deputies--who also own and pay to maintain their patrol horses--and invites other police departments to take part in its certified classes. The classes cost $100 per horse, and the Inglewood officers also had to pay for their own accommodations during the five days of training.

First, Seymour and Jackson were taught riding skills. Next, the horses were submitted to sensory training that started with small sounds, like the crinkling of a plastic bag. By the end of the class, the horses were listening with ease to loud, riot-type noises.

After 80 hours of training, the partners took the results back to city officials, who in January gave their support.

“Since these officers were volunteering to do this and the cost was nominal, we thought we’d give it a try,” said City Manager Paul Eckles.

Under the arrangement, the city will pay for monthly training, uniforms and riding gear such as boots and saddles--a $3,500 investment so far.

Seymour, who rides atop gelding Petey, is usually surrounded by children who want to pet the horse. Jackson, riding mare Blondie, said people stop and talk instead of passing by.

“The public really loves it,” Seymour said.