IN AN era when policing involves the use of electronic surveillance such as unmanned aerial “drone” cameras, it is profoundly reassuring to learn the horse still has a place in our forces.

Merseyside Police’s chief constable, Bernard Hogan-Howe, is proud to be expanding his Mounted Section while other forces reduce their horse divisions or close them entirely.

This is appropriate, as it is the oldest provincial mounted section dating from 1886.

His equine enthusiasm has been literally high-profile, appearing on horseback in the Liverpool Lord Mayor’s Parade and at Aintree leading the Grand National winner into the enclosure on several occasions.

His favourite horse, Hero, has retired, but he says: “He is such a solid animal. Nothing fazed him and he never stepped backwards.

“These are powerful beasts who can do what they like, but they will put themselves in danger as they trust their riders not to get hurt. Which says something about our great riders.”

On joining Merseyside Police in 1997 as assistant chief constable, he decided to revive his interest in riding.

“I always wanted to learn how to ride properly and so went along to the Mounted Section on Saturday mornings.

“It was really hard work, but when I was in the Metropolitan Police I could take part in Trooping the Colour and Changing the Guard.

“The main reason for our Mounted Section in Merseyside is because we have two big and one smaller football clubs.

“I can have 20 foot officers at a match and get complaints that we weren’t there. That doesn’t happen if the Mounted Section are present.

“I’m also very pleased with their other main job, on weekend city centre patrols among very large crowds sometimes until 3am or 5am. Their presence does defuse tensions and the mounted officers do make arrests.

“We fit video cameras on horses’ heads for crowd control, getting footage from a nine foot high vantage point.

“Some forces are getting rid of their mounted section, but to me our horses are worth their weight in gold.”