Yesterday, the Calgary Police Service (CPS) proudly celebrated the graduation and badge ceremony of its newest four-legged recruit, Police Service Horse (PSH) Gladius, at Garrison Square Park.
Gladius, a five-year-old thoroughbred Percheron Clydesdale cross, hails from the central Alberta village of Andrew. Standing at an impressive 17.2 hands high, he is the tallest member of the CPS Mounted Unit. Gladius’s name honours Operation Gladius, a United Nations peacekeeping mission, reflecting the CPS’s tradition of naming new horses after significant battles or peacekeeping efforts involving Canadian soldiers.
Since its re-formation in 1979, the CPS Mounted Unit has evolved to meet the dynamic crime management needs of Calgary. Initially formed in 1910, the unit temporarily disbanded during the Second World War but has since grown to include five operational horses: Dieppe, Normandy, Anzio, Kapyong, and now Gladius. These horses play a crucial role in patrols, crowd management, public relations, and search operations in areas difficult to access by foot or vehicle.
The ceremony, attended by CPS officials, dignitaries, and members of the public, featured speeches highlighting the significance of the mounted unit and its contributions to public safety. Calgary police chief Mark Neufeld addressed the attendees, emphasizing the unique advantages that horses bring to the force.
“We deploy the horses here in Calgary for regular public safety purposes,” Chief Neufeld stated. “We’ll use them for protests and demonstrations, we’ll use them for special events.”