Facility located on Rustic Road
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office is inviting the public to an open house at the agency’s new Mounted Patrol barn, located on Rustic Road in Nokomis.
The event has been planned for Wednesday, Feb. 26, from 10 to 11 a.m., a news release says. The barn is located just west of the original pole barn, at 3445 Rustic Road.
Members of the unit will be present for a meet-and-greet portion of the event. Tours of the new barn and light refreshments also will be available, the release notes.
Construction of the new metal barn began in February 2019, the news release explains. The facility has been designed to withstand winds of up to 150 miles per hour, equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane, the release points out. The barn includes workspace for up to eight deputies; an industrial-grade washer and dryer; and a break room.
Seven horses, six riders and one barn technician are assigned to the Mounted Patrol Unit, the release continues. In 2019, the unit performed 3,448 hours on horseback, attended 370 hours of training, and received support through volunteers who donated 350 hours of their time, the release adds.
While the new facility will serve as the unit’s main workspace, the old pole barn will remain intact and allow for other horses to be housed during regional training events and competitions, the release explains.
“We are so excited to debut this beautiful new facility to the Sarasota County community,” said Sheriff Tom Knight in the release. “Our Mounted Patrol Unit is one of the most unique and frequently utilized parts of the Sheriff’s Office and for good reasons. From proactive patrol during the busy holiday season to traffic enforcement by horseback, and community events throughout the year, the unit does a great job educating and connecting with the citizens we serve,” Knight continued in the release. “It is my pleasure to recognize their hard work on this special day.”
To RSVP to the mounted patrol barn open house, please email info@sarasotasheriff.org or contact the agency’s Community Affairs Office at 861-4005.