Lubbock’s Mounted Patrol Goes Viral After Horse Joke Turns Into a Chase

A Routine Stop Turns Into Something Unexpected

What started as a simple stop for walking in the road turned into a full-on chase that’s now putting the Lubbock Police Department’s Mounted Patrol in the national spotlight. Officers Bryson Lewis and William Trotter were patrolling on horseback last Monday afternoon when they stopped a man who wasn’t using the sidewalk.

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The man, later identified as 42-year-old Joseph Ramirez, immediately caught the officers’ attention with his odd behavior. When they asked if they could check his pockets, Ramirez refused. That’s when things took a turn—thanks to a joke.

The Joke That Sparked a Run

Trying to lighten the mood, Officer Trotter decided to crack a joke. In the bodycam footage, you can hear him tell Ramirez that his horse is a “narcotics-smelling horse.” Instead of laughing, Ramirez bolted.

“He kind of took off down the alley, and we thought he was joking but he kept running,” Officer Lewis recalled. “He took it seriously, and the chase was on.”

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The officers and their horses didn’t have much trouble catching up--ya know, since they were on HORSEBACK! Ramirez was arrested and charged with evading arrest and tampering with physical evidence with the intent to impair.

Why Running From a Horse Isn’t a Great Idea

If there’s one thing the officers made clear, it’s this—don’t try to outrun a horse. “A lot of people that have come before us on Mounted Patrol have been in a foot chase. Somebody is silly enough to eventually run from a horse. I don’t know why it happens. We are going to outrun them,” Trotter said.

And unlike officers on foot, Mounted Patrol doesn’t tire out. “We are cops first; we enjoy this job. Chasing bad guys is part of the fun in it for us, so when you get to chase down a bad guy and not even get tired, it’s a good day,” Lewis added.

More Than Just a Viral Moment

While the video has gone viral and given folks across the country a laugh, the officers say moments like these also highlight the partnership between rider and horse. Every officer in the Mounted Patrol owns their own horse, covering most of the costs themselves.

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“It’s a passion,” Trotter said. “We want to be police officers [but also] ride our best friends, hang out with our best friends and our buddies, so it’s a great unit to be a part of for sure.”