Guess who's headed to the glue factory?!?!?! SPD's mounted unit, that's who!

From the Daily Weekly:

 Budgetary constraints have already forced the city to hold off on a plan to add actual humanoids to the police force. As part of a 2007 public safety initiative, the city had planned on hiring 20 new police officers at a budgeted cost of $2 million. But that plan was put on hold in April.

That may explain why [Councilmember Sally] Bagshaw cited the Mounted Unit specifically. "That's a million dollar deal for like 5 horses and 8 officers," said Bagshaw. As it turns out, the total cost is just $676,000, according to the approved 2010 budget. Compare that to the $2,282,000 cost of the SPD's Canine Unit.

Still, Bagshaw suggests that the Mounted Unit and other "sacred cows" of the public safety budget may all face the chopping block. "Let's take a look at these things and ask 'does that matter anymore,' or should we have these police out walking on 3rd Avenue where we need them?"

Alright, so the city budget's totally fucked and cuts are gonna get made somewhere, but will this actually happen? I say thee NEIGH! (Sorrysorrysorry)

This is the second time in about a year that this pitch has made its way out of the starting gates only to come up lame halfway around the track. (OK, well why don't you come up with a better horse-related metaphor!) I'm reasonably certain it's an idea that's been proposed before too.

SPD's supposed to be cutting 1.5% from their budget. We'll see if the horsey unit ends up being sent to a nice farm in Enumclaw soon enough.

Photo via Flickr