HERE THEY GO AGAIN…
October 22nd, 2026
Another Change in the Mounted Patrol Plan. More Questions Than Answers.
Just when residents of The Woodlands might think they have a clear picture of the proposed replacement for Alpha & Omega’s 31-year mounted patrol operation, additional details emerge that deserve attention.
FIRST, THE FUNDING.
According to the Montgomery County Commissioners Court agenda for October 22, Township President and CEO Monique Sharp authorized funding on October 8 for an additional Sheriff’s Office sergeant through December 31, 2026.
The stated purpose was to facilitate future services.
That authorization came after the Township Board’s September 17 decision to pursue negotiations with the Sheriff’s Office, but before the county’s scheduled October 22 consideration of the mounted patrol agreement.
Is the additional sergeant connected to the transition? If so, is that expense included in the publicly presented budget, or is it additional?
If unrelated, the Township should clarify that.
SECOND, WHAT EXACTLY ARE TAXPAYERS BUYING?
The proposed program includes:
- $954,876 in startup costs
- $1,371,354 in annual operating costs
- $2,326,230 in combined first-year costs
The program has been described as providing up to 400 hours per week, yet the October 14 proposed agreement does not establish a guaranteed minimum number of hours of actual horseback patrol.
AND NOW, ANOTHER IMPORTANT DETAIL.
The proposed interlocal agreement expressly permits the Sheriff’s Office to use patrol vehicles or other alternative methods when weather, horse health, officer safety, or other safety-related conditions make mounted operations inappropriate.
We fully recognize the importance of protecting horses and officers.
But this raises an important question:
If taxpayers are funding a mounted patrol program, how much actual mounted patrol are they guaranteed to receive?
How will time spent patrolling on horseback be distinguished from vehicle patrols, transportation, training, horse care, and administrative activities?
Over the course of this transition, the public has heard different cost comparisons, service descriptions, and explanations of how the proposed program will operate.
The numbers have shifted. The explanations have evolved. And now the proposed agreement raises additional questions about actual mounted patrol coverage.
Meanwhile, Alpha & Omega continues to provide an established, trained, licensed, insured, and fully equipped mounted patrol operation under a contract providing for 387 mounted hours per week, subject to its contractual variance provisions. Missed posts are not billed.
We respect the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and its personnel. Our concerns are not directed at the deputies who serve this community.
They concern transparency, accountability, and the use of taxpayer funds.
After 31 years of serving The Woodlands, we believe residents deserve consistency, transparency, and straight answers.
31 Years. Countless Memories. Still Asking the Questions That Matter.
Alpha & Omega Mounted Patrol
Sources: Montgomery County Commissioners Court agenda, October 22, 2026, Items 9(R)(3) and 9(R)(4); proposed mounted patrol interlocal agreement dated October 14, 2026. The county’s scheduled consideration does not establish that the agreement has been approved or executed.
