SR-6-V (4)
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City Council Meeting 8/12/97
Santa MOnica, Calrfornl8
AUG 1 2 1997
TO Mayor and CIty CouncIl
FROM CIty Staff
SUBJECT Donation of Retired Mounted Patrol Horse
INTRODUCTION
The Santa MOnica Police Department retIred two elderly police horses that were no longer
serviceable for patrol work due to physical ailments This report requests that the CIty
CouncIl authorize the City to donate the two retIred police horses to AHEAD With
Horses, a program for dIsabled children
BACKGROUND
The Santa Monica Police Department Mounted Umt recently retired Flex, a twenty-four
year old quarter horse, and ChriS, an eIghteen year old quarter horse, with arthritiC
conditions that prevents them from safely carrying their partners In the City and qUickly
respondIng to emergency calls In the past, retired pollee horses were advertised for sale
and sold to the hIghest bidder Flex and ChriS are the oldest police horses the Mounted
Unit has and they are not of much value to the general public because of their phYSical
aliments
A program for disabled children called AHEAD With Horses IS Interested In Flex and ChriS
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AUG 1 2 1997
and would provide a loving, caring home for them In theIr old age AHEAD (Accelerated
Habilitation Education And Development) With Horses has a twenty-sIx year hIstory of
providing untque, highly motivating, and effective therapy to multiple disabled and
disadvantaged children They serve two-hundred plus mdlvlduals of all ages and
disabilitIes each week uSing mobile program sites throughout the greater Los Angeles
area, WIth a pnmary base In Sun Valley The program relies solely on pnvate donations
and fundralsmg All of their horses are donated or, as they like to say, "recycled"
It IS anticipated that the donation of Flex and Chns to AHEAD WIth Horses Will be both
beneficial to the handicapped chIldren's program as well as to the retrred police horses
FISCAL/BUDGET IMPACT
The City would lose the revenue generated from the auction of the retired police horses
as reqUired by the Santa MonIca MUnicipal Code Staff estimates the value of each
retired police horse at approximately $400
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council waive the Santa Monica Municipal Code
requIrement that stipulates excess City property be auctioned and authorize the donation
of Flex and ChriS to AH EAD With Horses
Prepared by James T Butts, Jr , Chief of Police
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