THE FUSE

Society and law enforcement face increasingly and frequently interlinked challenges in the modern world. As rates of societal change increase, so does the operational tempo of police work (Sharps, 2022, 2024). Even venerable law enforcement challenges, such as public disorder, have acquired new dimensions, as recently observed in “social media-fueled” takeovers, such as that over the July 4, 2026 weekend in Newport Beach, California. In that situation, law enforcement deployed mounted officers. Horses are often very effective in police work; they can go where vehicles frequently can’t, and they provide psychological intimidation and sheer mass. However, the aftermath of the operations of mounted officers, in the media-intensive world of modern sensitivities, can be devastating for officers and department reputations alike. It’s a difficult call for police commanders to make.