Inhabitants of Prague 13 could suggest names for the horses in a survey of the local magazine STOP. In the end, police officers chose the names of well-known detectives from the series The Professionals. Jana Mazankova, the author of the winning suggestion, was invited to mount one of the horses as a reward. The fact is, that, since she came to the baptism of the horses in high-heeled shoes, the ride was probably not the most pleasurable thing.
Police officers on horses are approximately four times quicker than officers on the beat which means that they can supervise an area four times the size. What is more, horses are ecological and I would say that they even enhance respect,
said the deputy mayor Rudolf Blazek. His answer to the question whether the horses will be used e.g. for demonstrations (the Municipal police now possess seven horses) was the following:
By no means. The horses are only destined for patrolling and as far as interventions during demonstrations are concerned, this is the task of the Mounted Unit of the Police of the CR. The horses will be in surroundings where they feel at home. This is why we do not form any special squads under a unified command. Mounted patrols are within the power of individual district management,
said R. Blazek.
We bought the horses for the total sum of 400 thousand CZK,
said the mayor of Prague 13, David Vodrazka. It was a very interesting price, as normally, Kladruby horses are sold for much more. Operation expenses will be paid by the Municipal Police. A curiosity is that one of the horses’ birthday is on the same day as the mayor’s, which David Vodrazka acknowledged with pleasure. However, the suggestion that the horse be named Vodrazka did not pass.
The horses were chosen following the recommendation of our experienced colleagues,
said the deputy director of the Municipal Police Ludvik Klema.
Old Kladruby horses won, because they seem to be the best breed for this type of service. We now possess both white and black Kladruby horses. White were bred for the imperial court, black for the clergy,
said Klema.
For the time being, the horses from Prague 13 are being broken in. Under the supervision of experienced police officers, they need to get used to the new environment and to some particularities of the city, e.g. domestic dogs, the noise of the traffic or to break through obstacles. Police officers are being trained as well under the management of an experienced coach. So far, horses are mostly used by peripheral Prague districts, however, there use is considered also by Prague 1 and 7.
It is understandable, if one realizes, how big Letna, Stromovka, Troja or Petrin are,R. Blazek commented the intention of the two city districts.