The Ventura Police Department is trading patrol boots for pizza paddles this week as they look to the community to keep their newest unit in the saddle. On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Tony’s Pizzaria will host a fundraiser from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. to support the city’s Mounted Patrol Unit.
The event at the E. Thompson Blvd. landmark is more than just a social mixer; it is a critical funding drive. Tony’s has pledged 20% of all food sales and 100% of proceeds from Music Bingo to the Ventura Police Community Foundation. These funds are earmarked for the high costs of maintaining a horse unit, including emergency veterinary care, specialized protective gear for both riders and animals, and the purchase of a new horse trailer.
While the city budget covers standard police equipment, the Mounted Patrol Unit operates on a unique financial model. Each horse in the unit is actually privately owned by its assigned officer, who is personally responsible for the animal’s daily housing, grooming, and feeding. The department provides the training and basic safety gear, but the extras, meaning the specialized medical care and transportation equipment, depend entirely on community donations and grants through the Police Community Foundation.
Supporters argue that this model is a win win for taxpayers. It allows Ventura to have a highly visible, approachable police presence in crowded areas like the Promenade and Downtown without the massive overhead of a city owned stable. The horses act as natural icebreakers, encouraging residents who might otherwise avoid the police to engage in face to face dialogue.
However, the reliance on pizza nights and bingo to fund essential police tools raises a legitimate question about municipal priorities. There is a growing debate over whether specialized units like Mounted Patrol should be optional luxuries funded by charity, or if they should be fully integrated into the city’s public safety budget.
If the city believes these horses are effective tools for crime deterrence and crowd management, then leaving their emergency medical care and transportation to the whims of a fundraiser feels like a precarious strategy. When we rely on the community to buy the gear, we risk creating a system where public safety is dictated by how many pizzas are sold rather than the actual needs of the department.
On the other hand, involving the community directly in the funding of these units builds a sense of shared ownership and trust that a standard tax bill never could. It ensures the unit remains accountable to the residents it serves.
Check the original post from the Ventura Police Department here.