New sheriff reins in horse patrol

So much for the horse that former Milwaukee County Sheriff David A.

Clarke Jr. used to ride into town.

Faced with a big budget hole, Acting Sheriff Richard

Schmidt has halted the department’s use of its horse patrol.

“Due to balancing the $5 million deficit in the budget, Acting Sheriff Schmidt is no longer funding the Mounted Unit,” Capt. Scott Stiff said recently by email.

Given the size of the program, it may also represent a change in priorities.

According to records, the four horses for the unit cost $17,788 in 2016. Last year, the Journal

Sentinel reported that the Sheriff’s Office had Clarke signed contracts to lease at least two horses — a Percheron quarter horse named Hero and a Clydesdale named Titan.

Fran McLaughlin, spokeswoman for Schmidt, said there had been six deputies who have the training to be part of the unit. But McLaughlin said those deputies were assigned to specific events, not as full-time roughriders. The horse patrol was often downtown or along the lakefront.

Or, in Clarke’s case, just about anywhere he could ride one.

Playing his role as Milwaukee’s cowboy, Clarke would ride one of the horses — while wearing one of his dozen Stetsons — in parades and other events with large gatherings or TV cameras. Clarke has said he did the cowboy shtick in honor of his uncle, who played football for the Dallas Cowboys.

Clarke stepped down in August to take a job with a pro-President Donald

Trump super PAC, America First Action, as a spokesman and senior adviser.

Asked about Schmidt’s plan to put his horse patrol out to pasture, Clarke declined comment.

“The former sheriff does not comment on the policies and practices of the administration of the current sheriff,” said Craig Peterson, an adviser to Clarke.

Well, that’s a lot nicer than the last statement that Team Clarke put out to the Journal Sentinel.

Asked about Schmidt’s decision to end round-the-clock security for Clarke’s house — something that cost taxpayers more than $226,000 this year — the former sheriff said:

“(Expletive) you and the horse you rode in on. I’m David Clarke and I approve this message.”

Spoken like a true cowboy.