CALDWELL, Idaho — Caldwell residents raised concerns about whether or not taxpayer dollars are being used for the police departments newly launched mounted patrol unit.
Last year Caldwell officers were riding their own horses and Police Chief Rex Ingram wanted to make it a more frequent thing.
In Aug. 2023 the nonprofit, Caldwell Police Mounted Unit Foundation was created to handle all donated items such as horses, feed, and equipment. The nonprofits website explains the nonprofit is funded by donations and not taxpayer money.
In May of this year, two draft horses from Albuquerque, New Mexico were donated to the foundation. KTVB introduced you to them before they debuted at this year's fourth of July events.
But funding concerns were raised this summer.
The city's finance director, Raelynn North, addressed a money request from CPD. In the July budget meeting, she was asked by councilmember Chris Allgood for clarification on how the unit was funded.
"I was under the understanding that wasn't going to take any tax dollars," Allgood said in the meeting.
North responded "I just know that I talked to deputy chief, and he requested the $20,000... I will say that tax dollars are being used for it currently."
Concerns started to circulate around Facebook.
Chief Ingram told KTVB there is a difference between the unit itself, and the foundation.
He said that twice in the last year taxpayer money has been used for the unit, but the money did not go to the foundation. He added both purchases were approved by the city.
In 2023, the city approved just under $1,500 of the police budget to purchase Caldwell Police branded saddle blankets, helmets, and badges. Those are all city property. The nonprofit is not allowed to by police badges, according to city spokesperson Char Jackson.
Earlier this year the department also covered the costs to go pick up and transport the two donated horses in Albuquerque. which was just over $2,000, according to Jackson.
When asked about North's statement that the Chief is requesting $20,000 for the upcoming fiscal year 2025, starting in October, Ingram said during budget conversations this summer, the finance department recommended Caldwell PD budget for incidentals, like the previous costs the nonprofit can't cover.
Police requested $20,000, which council denied, and instead approved $5,000 for the mounted unit this coming fiscal year.
"They're (concerned residents) essentially saying that we are misleading the public to get money funded to then place into a foundation, which is completely unequivocally false," Ingram said about accusations of taxpayer money going to the foundation. "The actual animals, the vet, the feed, the things that cost the money are the animals... The actual horses themselves, that stuff is a 100% founded by the foundation."
Ingram added that it's possible none of the $5,000 will end up getting used.
When asked whether or not the plan from the beginning was to have any taxpayer money used on the unit itself, Jackson said: "When CPMU was started, it was clear that the biggest obstacle that mounted units across the country faced was that they would have their budget cut and would then have to suspend the program and rehome the horses. After speaking with many different mounted units, the chief felt it was important that the unit didn’t rely on the city budget for its primary source of funding, thus a nonprofit was founded – which is very common for mounted units to have. Without the donations and partnerships of our community, this unit would cease to exist."
She added: "We decided that having a line-item in the FY 25 budget to cover incidental costs, like those in 23-24, ensures that the unit is structured in the same way as any other ancillary unit in the department (i.e., K-9’s, drones, honor guard, SWAT), but still be a minimum impact on the overall budget. This decision was fully supported by the mayor and council."