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Mounted police

Public order public safety — Authorised Professional Practice

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Summary

This module provides guidance on the deployment and operation of mounted police units within the context of public order public safety (POPS) events. It covers the welfare and care of horses used by mounted officers, outlines the necessary training requirements for these officers, and discusses the tactical options available when deploying mounted assets. Ensuring the effective management and deployment of mounted police is critical during public events and provides a unique capability for maintaining order and public safety.

Key principles

  • 1Mounted police units must prioritize the care and welfare of horses.
  • 2Officers should complete specific training and accreditation for mounted duties.
  • 3Proper deployment of mounted officers is essential for effective public order management.
  • 4Tactical options for mounted police should be well understood and integrated into planning for events.

Full guidance

This page is from APP, the official source of professional practice for policing.

This authorised professional practice (APP) module provides guidance on:

mounted police units, individual officers and staff relating to the care and welfare of horses * requirements for training mounted officers * deploying mounted assets * tactical options associated with these deployments in public order public safety (POPS) events

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Reproduced from the College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice under the Open Government Licence v3.0, as captured on 2026-06-27. APP is amended over time — check the source link below for the current version. This is a reference, not operational authorisation.

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Read the full APP guidance

Source: College of Policing — Authorised Professional Practice · Crown copyright, licensed under Open Government Licence v3.0. Summary fetched 2026-06-27.