The Geneva police force's new equestrian brigade is now operational. The three Franches-Montagnes horses that make up the unit, passed their aptitude tests after a year of training.
They were validated by two experienced riders from the Belgian federal police, who specialise in this field, the Geneva cantonal police said on Friday. The training of the three horses included desensitisation to various stimuli, such as firecrackers and smoke bombs.
Convinced by the results of a pilot project conducted between 2018 and 2020, the canton had given the go-ahead for the creation of an equestrian brigade. The three horses were chosen for their calm temperament. The brigade comprises three female riders and one male rider, as well as a female specialist investigator.
The unit will be able to carry out preventive, deterrent and enforcement missions in both rural and urban areas. It will also be deployed in residential areas to prevent burglaries and at sporting and cultural events. The aim is to create close contact with the public.
Geneva had a mounted police force in the 19th century, which was abandoned in favour of more modern means. Between 1996 and 1998, an equestrian group was briefly recreated to patrol the city centre. In Switzerland, other cantons also use horses for targeted missions, but Geneva is the only canton to have a permanent brigade with its own horses.
Adapted from French by DeepL/kc/ac
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