The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is proud to introduce the equine partners serving with the Mounted Unit in 2026. These horses bring diverse backgrounds rooted in ranch work, service, and reliability—qualities essential to mounted patrol operations, training, and community engagement across El Paso County.
The Mounted Unit plays a critical role in patrol operations, search and rescue (people and property) incidents, crowd management, ceremonial functions, and public-facing events. Each horse is carefully selected for temperament, soundness, and proven work ethic, then trained to meet the operational demands of law enforcement service.
New Equine Partners for 2026
Vader
-Black Quarter Horse
-10 years old
-Approximately 15.2 hands tall
Background: Working cattle ranch
Jack
-Red Roan Quarter Horse
-13 years old
-Approximately 15.1 hands tall
Background: Ranch horse supporting retired soldiers learning how to “cowboy”
Guappo
-Paint Quarter Horse/Draft Cross
-10 years old
-Approximately 16 hands tall
Background: Working cattle ranch
Continuing Service in 2026
Pete
-Flea-bitten Quarter Horse
-18 years old
-Approximately 15.2 hands tall
Background: Working horse ranch
All Mounted Unit horses have successfully completed the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Unit training requirements and have participated in multiple school-based training and familiarization opportunities, ensuring they are prepared for operational deployment and public interaction.
Members of the Mounted Unit—led by Sergeant Jeremy Juhl, Deputies Chris Herman, and Larry Murphy—regularly lead and support mounted-unit training for agencies across Western Colorado and neighboring states, sharing best practices and advancing regional law-enforcement standards.
Funding for the purchase of equine partners Guappo and Vader was made possible through a generous donation from God’s Pantry, a local nonprofit organization located in the Security-Widefield area of unincorporated El Paso County. The Mounted Unit is also supported through partnerships with community organizations, including the Norris Penrose Foundation.
“The Mounted Unit is both a critical public-safety asset and a living connection to the roots of law enforcement in the American West,” said El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal. “By investing in our horses, our deputies, and advanced training, we honor our Western heritage, preserve the culture of the Sheriff’s Office, and maintain a modern, deployable mounted capability for patrol operations, crowd management, and high-visibility events. We are grateful to God’s Pantry and the Norris Penrose Foundation for their support and partnership, which allow the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office to lead Colorado and the Western states in mounted-unit training, readiness, and professionalism—strengthening public safety for the communities we serve.”
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Unit reflects the Office’s commitment to professionalism, preparedness, and community trust. These equine partners strengthen public safety operations while reinforcing the Western heritage and traditions foundational to the Sheriff’s Office.
In the Summer of 2024, Sheriff Roybal announced the Mounted Unit would be permanently moved to the Norris-Penrose Event Center, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
