Police horse hangs up saddle after 19 years

SAN FRANCISCO — Deacon, a 30-year-old horse that has been with the East Bay Regional Park District’s Mounted Unit for 19 years, is retiring, headed for a life of leisure on a farm in Davis.

The district purchased Deacon, a quarter horse, in 1996 when he was 7 years old. He joined the mounted unit a few years later.

His human partners on the force gave Deacon a retirement party, lauding the horse’s abilities and successes on the unit, not the least of which is longevity. On average, a police horse puts in eight to 10 years of service, but Deacon was an integral part of the team for almost two decades.

In a press release celebrating Deacon’s retirement, the district said horses are a versatile resource for law enforcement, serving both as good-will ambassadors — horses are magnets, drawing admiring fans wherever they go — and as an important part of search and rescue and community policing.

Deacon had participated in many details over his years of service. He greeted visitors on various park trails, worked crowd control at concerts, attended police officer memorials and participated in emergency beach evacuations and other rescue operations. Less serious job duties included marching in parades and visiting area schools.

His fellow officers remembered him for one other thing. He taught most of them how to ride.

“He has always been steadfast,” Sgt. Ben Guzman said. “Although no horse is perfect, throughout the years Deacon was always who you put a new rider on.”

Retirement for Deacon will mean spending his days with other retired horses at what was described as “equine paradise” — the T.S. & K.D. Glide Foundation in Davis.

Don’t expect him, however, to do other things that some horses do in retirement. Deacon is a gelding.