A fight to save McKinney's mounted patrol is gaining steam.
Hundreds of home and business owners are upset that the patrol may be cut from the upcoming budget. They've added blue and white signs in their front yards supporting the mounted patrol.
The unit has been a mainstay in the historic district for as long as many can remember.
"When I first found out that they were considering cutting the mounted patrol, I was really disappointed so I decided I was going to do something about it,” McKinney resident Laura Richardson said.
Richardson launched a campaign and fundraiser to "Keep the Mounted Patrol."
Kathy White, owner of McKinney Sweet Spot, has one of the signs in front of her store and a petition at the cash register. She feels the horses are a better fit for downtown than police cruisers.
"I think there is a positive influence that they have down here with the public and the crime. As McKinney gets bigger and it gets busier, we're going to need them,” White said.
Under a new budget proposal, the mounted patrol could be cut.
There are no staff reductions under the plan. The city says the McKinney Police Department wants to reallocate funds to move the mounted officers to police vehicles. With the money saved, the department says it could hire another officer.
Some feel it's horse-hockey.
"My plan is to get as many signs out as possible in people's yards, in people's businesses so that the city managers and the police chief can see how much support the mounted officers have in our community,” Richardson said.
There will be at least two public comment sessions before a budget is approved in late September.
