Born and raised in Independence, MO, I moved to Indianapolis to join the Indianapolis Police Dept in Feb of 2001. I started out working on the East District until 2007. With the merger and creation of IMPD, I was moved to the Northwest District. In October 2010, I was promoted to Sergeant and worked Southeast District Late Shift.
Growing up around horses, I had the desire to work in the Mounted Patrol ever since becoming a member of the Indianapolis Police Dept and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Dept. This desire came to fruition in March of 2013, when I became the Commander of the IMPD Mounted Patrol Unit. I was lucky enough to be sent to attend the US Park Police Horse Mounted Patrol Academy in 2013, where I spent 13 very difficult weeks learning to be a Mounted Officer.
Officer Ivy Craney
Ivalee Craney joined IMPD Mounted Patrol in 2016 from within the ranks of IMPD. A 10-year veteran of the Department, Craney has thirty years of experience with horses. “It’s a dream position of mine,” said Craney. “I’ve been riding horses since I was four years old. I’ve worked in horse shows and been avid in 4H. To continue with horse riding and horse work with my job in IMPD is a real blessing,” she said.
Craney routinely rides Stretch and can be seen riding on patrol around Downtown, Indy Parks, and the Monon Trail.
Officer Jason Palumbo
Officer Jason Palumbo
I am from Peoria, Illinois. After college I moved to Amarillo, Texas where I was a police officer from 1995 to 1999. I joined the Indianapolis Police Department in 1999 and was assigned to east district after graduating from the academy.
I joined the Mounted patrol in 2001. I have attended Mounted schools in New Orleans, Louisiana and Lexington, Kentucky. I came to the mounted patrol because I have always loved horses and I could get paid to do something I love. I get a chance to meet a lot of nice people being on mounted and it is rewarding seeing the children we meet interact with the horses.
Officer Chad Pryce
Officer Chad Pryce
Chad Pryce is a ten-year veteran of IMPD with a long horse-riding history. “My grandfather had horses and was part of the Shriner’s. I always looked up to him for that,” he said. Having joined the Mounted Patrol in April 2016, Pryce can routinely be seen riding Jake. “Working with the Mounted Patrol is a real breath of fresh air after working many different positions within IMPD,” he said.
Officer Luke Schmitt
Officer Luke Schmitt
Luke Schmitt is a twenty-three-year veteran of IMPD with 16 years working in narcotics with the Department. A graduate of IUPUI, Schmitt started with the IU Police Department in 1990 and moved to the Marion County Sheriff’s Department after school. There he spent 15 years working on the street and in narcotics before moving to the Indianapolis Police Department before it became IMPD. A self-professed “horse-crazy kid”, Schmitt can be routinely found riding Finn around Indianapolis neighborhoods.
Officer Lorie Phillips
Officer Lorie Phillips joined the Indianapolis Police Department in 2002. Officer Phillips has spent the majority of her career in various proactive patrol units. In addition, she has also been assigned as a narcotics detective and a school liaison. Officer Phillips holds various department certifications to include Field Training Officer (FTO), Mentor, Emergency Response Group (ERG), Bike Response Group (BRG), PIT and Rifle.
Lorie graduated from Indiana University, Bloomington with a B.S. in Psychology and a certificate in Criminal Justice. She also has an Associate in business from Vincennes University and is currently a 2nd LT in the Indiana National Guard.
Horses have been a part of Lorie’s life since childhood. She has always had a passion for horses and police work and considers being part of the Indianapolis Mounted Patrol as a blessing, which allows her to join police work with her love of horses.
Civilian Alice Stires, Hostler
Growing up in Marion, IN, I have always had a love for animals. So much so, that I graduated from Purdue University in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science. In 1985, I worked at a zoo in Peoria, IL, as an animal keeper, specializing in large cats, outside large mammals, and educational animals.
In 2000, I moved back to Indiana, and in 2002 I was hired by IPD to work at the Mounted Patrol as the Hostler. I take care of all the Mounted Patrol horses, and all of them are my favorite. Each horse is different, which is the best part of my job. The horses make sure that I never have a boring day at the Mounted Patrol barn.
Except where noted, photos of officers courtesy David Dickens, IMPD Photography Unit
