Senior Sean Tollison said cops on horses make Downtown feel like the Wild Wild West.
The mounted patrol, an Albuquerque Police Department unit made up of four officers and a sergeant, patrol the Downtown area on a regular basis.
The horse-mounted units have been used in Albuquerque since 1976.
Jeff Arbogast, APD spokesman, said the horses and the officers are specially trained for crowd control and are effective. They are assigned to crowded areas.
Brian Morris, a marketing representative for the Downtown Action Team, said the mounted patrol is assigned to the Downtown and Old Town areas because of high pedestrian traffic. The Downtown Action Team is a nonprofit organization that works toward revitalizing Downtown.
"Tourists love to see it," Morris said. "It's a positive thing."
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The unit is Downtown during the lunch hour and when bars close.
Morris said the unit is helpful when so many people leave all at once.
"It's less intimidating," Morris said. "People respond well to them."
Tollison said he's never had a problem with the mounted patrol Downtown.
"They seem like nice guys," he said.
Tollison said he's not sure how beneficial the mounted patrol is because there are many cops Downtown already and most of Downtown is accessible by car.
"Cops on bikes could do as much," he said.
Senior Brian Hardin said the presence of the mounted patrol is excessive, but could be a good thing if there was more activity.
"I don't see Downtown as a crowd-control problem," he said.
Hardin said it's good for special events when Downtown is packed with people, such as Fall Crawl.
APD works to provide the action team with the mounted patrol when requested.
Being on horses allows officers see from up high and go places vehicles can't.
Paloma Lage, a manger at Maloney's Tavern, said the mounted patrol is great for businesses because the unit helps disburse the crowd.
She said when things get crazy at the end of the night, and people get into fights, the mounted patrol helps ease the violence because the horses are more intimidating than a person.
