History of the

Etowah County Sheriff's Mounted Unit

1975-1985

The Etowah County Sheriff's Mounted Unit was first organized in 1975 under Etowah County Sheriff Felton Yates and his Chief Deputy Harold Lockridge.

Shown in the photo at right are: (front row, from left)

Sheriff Yates, Chief Deputy Lockridge, Tom Epperson, Guy Solley, Gene Erwin, Troy Willett;

(second row)

Bobby Kelley, Joe Henry, Junior Arledge, Barry Nelson, Larry Talley; (third row) Guy Epperson, Kirby Johnston, Don Camper, Mack Jones, Bill Baldridge, and Bobby Woods.

The Unit (at that time called a Posse) originally wore uniforms with western-style hats, boots and gun belts.  They furnished their own horses and tack, but had matching breast collars.

Members from the Unit's early days recall several missions  capturing loose livestock on local highways and searching for missing persons.

The Unit also presented annual horse shows which were very successful.

By the 1980's, members of the Unit had gone on to other interests and the Unit was disbanded around 1985.  One of the first Unit horses, a large buckskin gelding named Buck, went on to become a valued member of the Birmingham (AL) Mounted Police.

HOME

In 1995, Chief Deputy Kirby Johnston re-organized the Mounted Unit under Sheriff James Hayes.  The uniforms were changed to a more military look with campaign hats, English boots, and riding pants.  Matching, cavalry-style saddle blankets were worn under member's personal saddles. 

Later, the tack was also standardized by changing from western-style saddles to lightweight endurance saddles and brass-fitted halter-bridles.

In the final uniform revision, campaign hats were replaced with riding helmets.

1995-2007

In 2001, the Unit began working security at the NASCAR races in Talladega, AL, as the primary means of raising needed funds..