LAFAYETTE, La. — The Lafayette Police Department’s mounted patrol unit has welcomed two new members — Clydesdale brothers Bud and Mo — just in time for Mardi Gras festivities.
"It's huge — Clydesdales are not easy to come by down here, so being able to bring this to our community was a big deal for us," said Senior Corporal David Stanley.
The addition of Bud and Mo is meant to strengthen the department’s presence at public events. With their significantly large size, a single officer on a Clydesdale can have the same impact as 20 officers on foot.
"Just their sheer size — we can see over the crowd. They're very intimidating looking — whenever they're coming, people move out the way," Stanley said.
Clydesdales are especially valuable during events like Mardi Gras, but Stanley noted that it takes months of training before the horses are ready for crowd control. "We put our horses through a lot of training. They go through months and months of training before we ever get to crowd control, and they work every Saturday night, so Mardi Gras is not their first opportunity to work."
Beyond their role in public safety, the Clydesdales also help officers connect with the community. "The community loves these Clydesdales. They really are gentle giants. The kids love petting them. The adults love petting them," Stanley said.
The department expects to welcome a third Clydesdale soon, further strengthening bonds between officers and residents. "They really are ambassadors for our department. They allow people to communicate with us, children to communicate with us better than if it was just walking up to an officer on foot," Stanley added.
Bud and Mo are set to appear at every Lafayette parade this Mardi Gras season, making their mark as both crowd pleasers and critical members of public safety efforts.
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