Every summer between Memorial Day and Labor Day, millions of visitors flock to the monuments and memorials on the National Mall in Washington DC. Among those responsible for keeping them safe, are the mounted officers of the U.S. Park Police, one of the country's oldest police equestrian units. From Presidential Inaugurations to political demonstrations, mounted officers help provide crucial crowd control and traffic management. But they also play a role in community policing, keeping the Nation's Capital and its visitors safe, while serving as goodwill ambassadors to the public.
We spent a day with Officer Chester West, a U.S. Army veteran, and for the last seven years, a member of DC's Horse Mounted Unit. This is his story.