Have a horse? York County Sheriff’s Office may want you for search and rescue team

The York County Sheriff’s Office will host two informational meetings in January to help form a volunteer mounted patrol search and rescue team.

The team will be charged with assisting in searches for persons or evidence, and participating in local parades or public ceremonies.

To participate, applicants must be 18 years or older, own your own horse or lease one, and have your own transportation. There will be volunteer positions for those who do not have a horse.

Volunteers must be available for monthly training sessions. All rider disciplines are welcome.

Each horse must pass a proficiency test and be four years or older.

To learn more, interested applicants must attend one of two informational meetings at the York County Law Enforcement Training Center at 92 Stoneybrook Dr. in York. The meetings will be 9 a.m. Jan. 14 and 6:30 p.m. Jan. 16.

Those attending the meeting will learn details of what the search and rescue team will do, and what the volunteers will be required to do.

Each meeting is expected to last at least an hour. Those interested will be asked to fill out an application form and a background consent form.

The York County Sheriff’s Office already operates a mounted patrol using some of its deputies. It typically works for search and rescue, crowd control and patrolling parking lots during large events.

For more information contact Master Deputy Mark McCarter at the York County Sheriff’s Office at 803-628-3059 or by email at mark.mccarter@yorkcountygov.com.

This story was originally published December 27, 2016 at 1:38 PM with the headline "Have a horse? York County Sheriff’s Office may want you for search and rescue team."