Cash-strapped San Diego set to sell police horses and tack

The police horses that have patrolled San Diego's Balboa Park are being sold at an online auction.

The Police Department has ended its horse unit, which was organized in 1983, as a money-saving measure. The officers have been transferred to other duties, and their mounts and the tack are being sold.

The auction is set for Feb. 1 through Feb 10 on the website Publicsurplus.com.

The horses -- Wam, Trigger, Major, Junior, Bret, Bandit and Austin -- have long been public favorites, but the city is cash-strapped.

No riding or handling is allowed, but potential bidders can see the horses Feb. 4, 9 a.m. to noon, at the police stables. Check the website.

A third of the city's police dogs are also being laid off.

-- Tony Perry in San Diego

Photo: Bret, one of the police horses put up for auction. Credit: San Diego Police Department

Comments

[Jim Kizziah]

Sell the horses, dogs, and all the other crime stoppers, put more patrol unites to regulate traffic. It brings in money which is all you care about anyway. Let the residents of San Diego bar up their windows, establish neighborhood watches, install security systems while police have every high tech device available to ticket motorists. Again, it brings in money.

[Big R]

What has happened to this state, it used to be a really neat place to live. Now everyone cannot wait to get out.

[Al C]

They should make all officers salaried employees. Officers overtime is overwhelming the system. I am unclear at how effective an officer can be on his 65th hour on the end of his work week. This is a meaningless gesture.

[Al C]

Officers should be salaried employees. Their overtime is what is financially overwhelming the system. I am unclear as to how effective an officer can be on his 65th hour into his work week. Selling dogs and horses has zero financial impact. This is a meaningless gesture.

[Norman Silver]

I just liove the way that San Diego is handling it's financial problems. First they reduce the Fire and Poklice staffing. Then they reduce the employee benefits program. Now they are selling the horses and equipment. All of this is almost is a drop in the barrel when one looks at the financial duress the city is under. BUT.. the Mayor flies out to testify in San Francisco and other places on the txpayers nickel and then the appointed Airport person is caught conducting a personal business on city property. This never ends. San Diego needs a clean sweep of the inept politicians and get some candidates who do know what to do to get a broken system back on track.

[Rosa Frausto]

Keep us abreast of the developments of the dog found on icy sea. Thanks!

[Dan Lynch]

The blame for the cutting of services is in the hands of the politicians who allowed "public service" jobs salaries and benefits outpace private sector jobs over the last 25 years. Here in Irvine, Ca, Orange County we have firemen who don't fight fires receiving benefits and pensions in the millions. They retire after sitting around for 30 years service, at 50 with pensions running at $150,000.00 or more per year. Thats right, the tax payers will be paying out $4,550,000.00 for a single pension to avg death age. The police are the same and near them are teachers who work 180 days a year and city employees retiring as miillionares.
They do not have to pay into Social Security are allowed to retire at 50 unlike the public(66).
The pubilc pensions, unless you are upper management, are never near 100% of last salary and why nshould anyone who is not working revc this benefit.
When did "public service" become private profit.
My son is a firefighter/paramedic in Colorado-he works in terrible conditions, and fights fires, meth lab, old property, highrise etc every week. His salary and benefits are 70% of those in Orange County and he works all night and day when on duty averaging 9 calls pwr shift. There are fireman in Orange county that have not been to a fire in years. In Irvine 92 % of all calls are for paramedic services for the elderly.
We are the only county in the nation to go bankrupt and will be there again unless someone with a spine steps up to put a stop to this legalized extortion.

[jad]

Millions in debt? Sell a saddle. That should do it.

[debears]

Dano- Teachers must do 30+ years, and be over 55 to recieve about 50% retirement. If we wait until 62, we can make up to 78% or so...Don't even compare our retirement to cops and fire-fighters.

I agree some of the retirement plans of cops and fire-people that were arranged in th 90's were outrageous. Some SD Sheriffs are pulling in more than 100% with less than 30 years service.

[Caroline]

What more evidence do you need that we are crumbling to our knees financially? Horses are not a luxury for patrolling Balboa park. They are the best way. And we cannot afford them at a world class joint like San Diego?

[Kev]

I'd have to agree with some of the other posters here. The problem isn't with the Police horses or dogs, the problem is over compensated public employees. I wish I could retire with 3% at 50, but unfortunately I can't.

[jboogie]

Man, I never heard of dogs getting laid off...don't they work for scooby snacks? The city must be in really bad shape they can't afford to pay their dogs in treats.

[Horse Lover]

San Diego should be ashamed of themselves. Auctioning off live animals to make cash. Animals that gave their service, I hope in the least they check out the new owners to make sure those animals get a proper new life.

[STEVE]

for everyones information your right i dont pay into social security. BUT i am forced to pay into my own pension system. the county doesnt put anything into it. i started working when i was 20 and have to go to 55 to receive 90%. thats the most we can get. so rocket scientist i worked 35 years putting my life on the line for you to receive LESS than my full salary. get your facts straight before you go around yelling that we dont pay anything and the tax payers pay it all for us. oh, and if i want mor i have to put more into a seperate 401k to make up for it. just more out of my pocket.

[big L]

This state is going to hell in a hand basket.

[A Concerned American]

Yes BUT as a teacher you do not place your life on the line daily.

[Warren]

Marijuana is California’s number one cash crop, according to federal estimates, worth double the state’s vegetable and grape crops combined – or about $14 billion a year.

“It’s time to end the charade of marijuana prohibition, tax the $14 billion market, and redirect criminal justice resources to matters of real public safety.

Enforcing marijuana prohibition costs taxpayers an estimated $10 billion annually and results in the arrest of more than 847,000 individuals per year -- far more than the total number of arrestees for all violent crimes combined, including murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

[joe]

CA keeps handing out Welfare checks more than any other State in the US, that's what's killing CA.

[Roger B]

Last time I checked anyone with a GED and who meets the age requirement can signup to take a police or fire entry test. May your Colorado son could not get hired here in SoCal and had to leave the state to get a job. I agree that the money firemen make in Irvine and other like places is ridiculous but the police in most areas, like in Sand Diego, earn their pay. Disagree? Go give it a try.....

[Footpad]

that's great - now that there's less mounted police in crowd-control situations like Mission Bay 4th of July and the Del Mar Fair, criminals can run wild thru the crowd and cops won't even be able to see the commotion across the way.

Purse-snatching FTW!

[lwps]

If the duly elected mayor were allowed to take her seat, perhaps the citizens of San Diego would not see a fire sale for the rich, like everything else that the republicans are casting off, like the Orange County fairgrounds. A more creative approach might preserve our common heritage.

[mikey in san pedro]

I know whats happening here.I see it everytime the longshoreman start to cry about the maritime assoc being unfair.They hold up their signs ,beat their chests,walk together like a gang of thugs,knowing the whole time that their collective efforts will be victorious.When it is all said and done,they get an outrangous wage of over 40 bucks an hour.Then they want The Maritime assoc to pay for their health and welfare benefits.Then (heres the kicker)
I see one of those 60,000 dollar dodge 4x4 trucks with all the bells and whistles towing an expensive 80,000 pleasure craft right down Gaffey street in San Pedro,heading toward
Lake Havasu.I happened to know a few of them and they are
carefree spirits without a worry about whether or not they can afford this that or the other.Its legalized la costra nostra.GIVE ME /DO THIS /SIGN THIS or ELSE...WE'LL MAKE A LIVING HELL FOR ALL!.

[lwps]

PS -- I am not sure that I would want a policeman or firefighter -- age 65 -- to rescue me. Be careful what you ask for.

[Z]

HEY DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO ADOPT THE DOGS THAT ARE BEING LAID OFF???

IF U DO PLEASE LET ME KNOW AT MY EMAIL
ONLY_ZEEK2@YAHOO.COM

[LA Native]

Hey Dan does your Colorado firefighter son fight the flames of hell during fire season like they do in California? I doubt it. Before you go lambasting us public servants you should put on a uniform and see if we earn our pension which we pay into. I just love those that complain what us public servants make as being outlandish. I earn every dime I get by listening to people scream how they pay my salary when I stop them for running a red light. So yes I AM DOING EXACTLY WHAT YOU "PAY ME" TO DO! Pulling you over before you kill someone and hearing you rant about it afterwards.

By the way our overtime is mandated by federal law to be compensated in some fashion. It is not some closed door conference with our almighty unions that gets overtime pay. Maybe we need to stop these worthless social programs that clearly do not work and re-invest on law enforcement since they are getting ready to release over 100K of the pillars of society from state prisons.

You can say thanks to the California Leftist Supreme Court for that one!