Our Mission
The purpose of the Friends of the San Jose Mounted Unit is to preserve, maintain, protect, and promote the San Jose Police Department's Mounted Unit, also known as the “Ambassadors of Goodwill,” by engaging in public outreach and fundraising, serving as a non-profit conduit between the public and the Mounted Unit.

Current Focus
This is an extremely critical financial time for the San Jose Mounted Unit. City management proposed the elimination of the Mounted Unit for fiscal year 2009-2010 even though every San Jose Police Chief has supported keeping the Mounted Unit intact since Police Chief Joe McNamara started the horse patrol in 1986. The administration said the cost for the unit was over a million dollars; however, the actual cost is actually about $300,000.

As a result, the FSJMU wrote an op-ed article entitled, "San Jose's Police Mounted Unit is a Public-Safety Must," which appeared on May 3, 2009 in the San Jose Mercury News. The article stated that the FSJMU would raise the money necessary to pay for the cost of the unit for the next budget year. In response to the FSJMU pledge, Mayor Reed and the entire City Council directed the city administration to enter a financial Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the FSJMU to solidify a funding agreement that would help offset the costs of the mounted unit. Click here to read the op-ed article.

In an effort to inform and provide an outlet for the public to financially support the Mounted Unit, the FSJMU is conducting a one-time raffle fundraiser called Pony Up for the San Jose Mounted Unit Raffle™ to provide an outlet for residents to participate in supporting the San Jose Mounted Unit. Tickets are $100.00 each and only 25,000 tickets will be sold, so don't miss out. Not only does your purchase support the Mounted Unit, you may win a cash prize and/or a weekend getaway. For information about the rules, entry form and other information about the raffle, please click on the Pony Up! menu item above.

You do not need to purchase a ticket to donate. Please click on the Donate menu item to donate directly. All donations separate from the raffle are tax-deductible.

If we do not raise the money necessary for the Mounted Unit, it will be cut and gone forever. Let's not let that happen. Give what you can and ask your friends and family to do the same.