Madison Reporter

Spirit, a six-year-old Percheron gelding, was officially inducted into the Madison Police Department Mounted Patrol Unit during a ceremony held near the fieldhouse at Vel Phillips Memorial High School. The event included participation from Memorial’s cheer team, the MPD Honor Guard, and members of the Mounted Patrol Unit.

The induction ceremony is a tradition marking the final step before a horse becomes an official member of Madison’s six-horse mounted police unit. Spirit was named on behalf of Memorial’s cheer team.

Madison Police Chief John Patterson stated, “The support that this unit gives to all of our officers on two feet is incredible and cannot be understated along with the connections they help us establish around our community. I like to think of Spirit as more than just a new partner, but more like a symbol of trust, the power of presence and approachability when it comes to more meaningfully relationships with our community. This is a continuance of all the great work that our entire Mounted Patrol has done over the years.”

Spirit, sponsored by Laura Harrington, joined the team in 2023 and completed a two-year probationary period demonstrating his abilities in various conditions. He was born in Ishpeming, Michigan, and is both the youngest and largest horse on the team at 1,900 pounds and just over 18 hands tall. Mounted Patrol Officer Jessie Luedke described Spirit as having a playful personality: “if he could talk, he’d be the funniest horse in our unit.”

Harrington commented on her decision to name Spirit after her cheerleading team: “This is such an honor. I named Spirit after my cheerleading team. I’ve been a cheerleading coach here (at Memorial High School) for 10 years and also a cheerleading coach at Madison East for 15 years … I thought this was the perfect name for a very prestigious young man.”

Mounted patrol units have been part of law enforcement since the 18th century and are used today for crowd control, search and rescue operations, and community engagement. The presence of horses often encourages positive interactions between officers and community members.

The Madison Police Department Mounted Patrol Unit consists of eight riders and six horses. Funding for training, equipment, and supplies comes from donations through Friends of Madison Mounted Horse Patrol—a nonprofit organization—rather than taxpayer dollars. The unit’s mission includes representing MPD as ambassadors while on horseback, building community partnerships, and deterring crime through visible engagement.

Information about Spirit’s teammates can be found at https://www.madisonmounted.org/horses.