Mounted Unit honours veterans and presents badge to Police Service Horse Kapyong

Today, Police Service Horse (PSH) Kapyong will be presented with a badge in a ceremony that honours those who fought in the Battle of Kapyong during the Korean War.

The Calgary Police Service has a deep connection to our veterans, and as a way to honour their service, in 2016, the CPS Mounted Unit began naming each new PSH after battles fought by Canadian soldiers. Currently, the Unit consists of seven PSHs, including six operational horses, Vimy, Ortona, Dieppe, Normandy, Anzio and the most recent addition, Kapyong. PSH Gladius is currently in training.

The Battle of Kapyong occurred over the course of three days, between April 23 – 25, 1951, in South Korea. During the battle, a battalion of approximately 700 Canadian soldiers, who served alongside Australian and New Zealand soldiers as part of the United Nations Command Forces, courageously defended a crucial hill on the front lines, while being significantly outnumbered by enemy forces. This battle is recognized as one of the most consequential events that eventually led to the end of the Korean War approximately two years later.

PSH Kapyong is a nine-year-old Canadian cross Percheron Gelding, who has become a confident and eager member of our Mounted Unit. He is able to work effectively in a variety of environments, from searching heavily wooded areas to patrolling downtown and even participating alongside his fellow PSHs in ceremonial events.

The CPS Mounted Unit was first formed in 1910 and ran until approximately 1939 when the Second World War began. The Mounted Unit, as it exists today, was re-formed in 1979. In addition to the traditional ceremonial duties, our Mounted Unit has evolved significantly to meet the crime management needs of our city.

Today, members of the Mounted Unit are instrumental in searching remote areas that are difficult to access by foot or vehicle, including parks, pathways and riverbanks, to locate missing persons, offenders evading police and evidence that may have been discarded.

Due to their tall stature, officers on horseback can also provide a unique perspective for our investigators and are used daily in patrols of residential and commercial areas, as well as in crowd management situations.