Doing What I Love and Loving What I Do

A Western Sense Of Community

Sometimes the best way to get people involved in the community is to tell them that they are needed and provide a means where they can actually see their help put into action. The Jackson Police Department’s “Citizen’s Mounted Unit” is an example, and the Town of Jackson salutes Police Chief Dave Cameron for his insight and vision when he started the unit a decade ago.

The Citizen’s Mounted Unit has evolved from three volunteers in 1996 into a group of twenty-seven volunteers and their mounts. These horse--rider teams are trained both mentally and physically to work independently, as a group, and along side sworn officers in the Jackson Hole Community.

Sgt. Alan John oversees the unit and has taken the responsibility of training it to perform its duties. To date, he has trained over one hundred volunteers to confidently and effectively take control of situations involving crowds, traffic, search and rescue, and crime prevention. For example, the group has demonstrated excellence in managing civil unrest during Demolition Derby night and has held intoxicated persons until sworn officers can move in to make the arrests)

The unit involves forty hours of rigorous training each spring. Horse and rider are taught to work as a team and are put into simulated real-life situations that challenge even the best horseman. Training entails : pushing a crowd, detaining an individual, riding through tires and aluminum cans, extracting an ambulance with sirens and lights in emergency mode, and walking through an obstacle course while fireworks are being set off in the immediate area. Yearly testing and certification make sure the unit maintains its professional demeanor.

The group is made up of a diverse section of the community. The polo player, trail rider, hunter-jumper, barrel racer, and cowpuncher find common ground as ambassadors of the Greater Yellowstone area. They answer many questions posed by curious visitors and residents alike, using their knowledge of the area and love of horses to accentuate the positive. There is something that delights children and adults about a twelve hundred pound animal and its rider doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do.

Participating in ceremonial color guards, leading parades and opening events give the unit a chance to show off training and protocol (something that is afterthought for most of the public). Formation riding, while flashy, is the groundwork for being able to control crowds effectively.

The unit saves the Town of Jackson an average of $48,000 per year in overtime pay. Overworked officers walk a tightrope when millions of visitors from all over the world converge on Jackson Hole each summer. Yes, officer “ burnout” is a very real malady of their occupation, even in scenic Jackson. The Citizens Mounted Unit provides a ready workforce to patrol, search, and heighten security. That extra set of eyes and the extra personnel to help with parade traffic control, the county fair, and concert safety are greatly appreciated by sworn officers and town and county governments.

Citizen volunteers are armed with police radios, a friendly smile, a vast amount of information and are accompanied by a large equine partner who is chomping at the bit (literally) to get out and get the job done

Last and foremost , is the bond between members of the Citizen’s Mounted Unit and local law enforcement. The ability of a volunteer to dispel myths as well as support the department in a local restaurant talk session is priceless. “Merely a volunteer” has a different meaning in Wyoming. These volunteers have learned that law enforcement is a difficult job and not for the faint of heart. They offer help and support while the department offers expertise and training. Partnered together with a common goal, the Citizen’s Mounted Unit and the Jackson Police Department bring understanding and appreciation of each other to the community.

Current chief of police Dan Zivkovich says of the unit, “The Citizen’s Mounted Unit provides an invaluable service. Certainly, they supplement our personnel and help us compensate for staffing shortages, but more than that, they perform services officers cannot perform on foot, on a bicycle, or in a vehicle. Just as importantly, though, they are exceptional public relations ambassadors for the department and the Town.” Zivkovich adds, “I have attended some of the training sessions and I am impressed with the depth and strenuousness of that training. Sergeant John is to be commended for the thought, effort, and time he invests to make sure the unit is competent and confident. It is a unit of which we can all be proud.”

Sgt. Alan John has been in law enforcement for twenty-three years, fifteen of those in Wyoming. His rural California childhood allowed him to own horses at a young age and his love of horses caused him to become involved in the Mounted Search Unit. His experience and awards are impressive: Swat Team Sniper, Medal Of Valor, Mounted Patrol Instructor of the Year 2005 is the short list. Like the horses he trains, Alan John’s attitude is low key and about the job. “We’re all relaxed, (horse and rider alike) when we know our job and we are able to do it with confidence. Look where you are going, the horse feels your energy,” John teaches his students. John’s teaching methods are a combination of Ray Hunt, Buck Brannaman, and Teddy Roosevelt. “ I don’t expect it to be perfect, but I expect it to be as perfect as we can get it,” he adds.

. Inquiries can be made to:

Sgt. Alan John or Chief of Police Dan Zivkovich

PO Box 1687

Jackson, WY 83001

Web site: jacksonpolice.com

Written by Cindy Stone

In cooperation with Sgt. Alan John and the Jackson Police department