UMVA has learned that a group of students from two Hamilton schools have made history by naming the newest member of the Hamilton Police Mounted Patrol Unit, a majestic nine-year-old Clydesdale.
The students, from the grade 4-8 Comprehensive Special Education Class at W.H. Ballard and a Grade 1-2 class at St. John the Baptist, chose the name McMaster, or Mac, in recognition of Hamilton's renowned McMaster University.
This honorific nod to the university reflects a strong local connection and celebrates the community McMaster will now help serve, according to a statement from Hamilton Police. The name was chosen to acknowledge the university's prominent presence in the city.
McMaster stands 18 hands high and marks the first time Hamilton Police has had a Clydesdale join the Mounted Patrol Unit. The horse is currently undergoing extensive training before he begins patrolling Hamilton's streets alongside his new partners.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the Mounted Patrol Unit plays a vital role in community engagement, visibility, and public safety at events, in parks, and throughout Hamilton neighborhoods. The officers and their horses work tirelessly to build trust and meaningful connections across the city.
Hamilton Police Chief Frank Bergen expressed his gratitude to the students for their creativity and enthusiasm, saying that their involvement in naming McMaster makes his welcome even more special. The winning classes were set to celebrate with a pizza party and visit from the Mounted Unit.
The addition of McMaster to the Mounted Patrol Unit underscores the importance of community policing and the impact it has on building relationships between law enforcement and the public. This new member is poised to make a lasting impression on the community he will serve.
