Page 23 - FOP September 2016

P traits by Peter Bucks
Tributes to officers from the CPD Officer, Lodge 7 member and renowned artist
Officer Michael Burke and his partner Schott – both members of Chicago’s elite Mounted Patrol Unit (MPU) – work the beat at an angle that has offered Burke a unique perspective as a law enforcement offi- cer, and a community builder.
MICHAEL
“Working with (a police) animal, you form a special bond,” says Burke, who has been partnered with Schott for two years, and recently celebrated his 15th anniversa- ry with the Department. “You have to build up trust.”
That trust begins in the indoor arena where the MPU trains its horses before they’re ready for the street. From walks and easy rides with the unit’s specialized gear to slow exposure training among crowds, cars and general sounds of the city, horses like Schott – each of whom were named for a fallen Chicago police officer – begin to accli- mate to their roles as guardians and peacekeepers.
As the MPU has helped Burke develop trust on an indi- vidual level, his relationship with Schott – named for fall- en officer Richard Schott – has helped him nurture great- er trust within the community.
“(As a mounted officer), you’re an ambassador for the city,” says Burke. “You see things that people on foot don’t see, and you attract people who might not be so inclined to approach an officer in a car.”
From schools to concerts to community outreach
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events, together Burke and Schott have a rare opportunity to enter situations in which citizens may have a negative image of law enforcement, and turn around those con- ceptions.
According to Burke, seeing a mounted officer and hav- ing the chance to meet a police horse puts people at ease. “Overall,” says Burke, “it’s an amazing experience.”d
CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ SEPTEMBER 2016 23