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Thursday, September 3, 2026
The Woodlands Township continues to fully support mounted patrol service and recognizes its many benefits to citizens. The Board wishes to enhance mounted patrol service, not eliminate it.
Information regarding the Township’s mounted patrol service is provided below in the questions and answers that follow.
In summary:
- The Township is NOT getting rid of its mounted patrol program.
- The Township is evaluating whether the program could be enhanced by transitioning from the current private security model with Alpha & Omega (A&O) to a commissioned law enforcement model through the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).
- A MCSO mounted patrol program would include the same service components currently being provided by A&O including proactive crime prevention, crowd and traffic management, and community engagement.
- Additionally, a MCSO mounted patrol program would offer two distinct benefits:
- MCSO deputies would provide broader law enforcement authority, direct access to dispatch, and the ability to tap into a wide array of agency resources.
- A program administered through MCSO would reduce the current potential liability associated with private security services patrolling non-Township owned property.
- MCSO’s complete proposal for mounted patrol services will be presented at a future public meeting before the Board makes a final decision.
Q1. Is the Township getting rid of mounted patrol?
No. The Township is not eliminating mounted patrol. The Board recognizes the unique benefits offered by a mounted patrol program. The proposed 2027 budget includes funding to continue mounted patrol. The funding was placed in the Law Enforcement budget to allow the Board to consider a law enforcement model for mounted patrol services.
Q2. Why is the Township considering a change in how mounted patrol service is provided at this time?
A&O’s current contract expires December 31, 2026, providing an opportunity to evaluate the future of mounted patrol. The Township is not terminating A&O's contract early or changing the services required under the existing agreement. Under state law, local governments may contract with one another for governmental services, including police protection. This allows the Township to consider a commissioned law enforcement model with MCSO separately from contracting for private security services.
Q3. Why is the Township considering MCSO for a mounted patrol program instead of seeking enhanced services from A&O?
While A&O is a licensed security company, its personnel are not commissioned law enforcement officers and do not have the same authority or capabilities as sheriff’s deputies.
Q4. Can A&O provide the same services as law enforcement?
No. While A&O can provide licensed armed security officers, armed private security is not the same as commissioned law enforcement. An A&O security officer remains a private security employee and does not have the same authority as an MCSO deputy to enforce state and county laws or exercise the full powers of a commissioned peace officer.
MCSO deputies also have direct access to law enforcement dispatch, communications, databases and other agency resources needed to respond and take immediate law enforcement action when necessary.
Q5. Does A&O have direct access to MCSO law enforcement communications?
No. A&O patrol are not integrated into MCSO’s law enforcement communications system. While they may communicate with individual deputies or security personnel, calling 911 is the most direct way for an A&O trooper to have an incident dispatched to the appropriate available law enforcement officer.
Q6. Why has A&O not been given an opportunity to provide a proposal for enhanced services to compare to MCSO’s proposal?
The Township considers the services able to be provided by A&O and MCSO for a mounted patrol program to be fundamentally different for the reasons stated above. It is not an apples-to-apples comparison.
If the Township Board decides to continue providing mounted patrol services through a private security company, a Request for Proposal will be issued outlining specific service elements. A&O, along with other qualifying private security companies, will be eligible to submit responses.
Q7. Why isn’t the Township considering a combination of A&O and MCSO for mounted patrol services?
Utilizing both A&O and MCSO would largely continue the current service model. The Township Board wishes to evaluate models that would enhance mounted patrol services while also maximizing commissioned law enforcement resources in the busiest area of the community.
Q8. Would a MCSO mounted patrol program focus solely on law enforcement?
No. In addition to the enforcement of laws, MCSO’s mounted patrol unit would provide services similar to those currently provided by A&O such as proactive crime prevention, crowd and traffic management and support for large scale events. Additionally, an important component of a MCSO mounted patrol program would be to engage with the community in ways that strengthen relationships between law enforcement personnel and the public.
Q9. Are there liability concerns with a private company such as A&O patrolling private properties within Town Center?
Yes. A&O is contracted to patrol areas that include property the Township does not own. The contract requires license agreements with private property owners to authorize those patrols and provide liability protection for the Township. Despite efforts by both the Township and A&O, key Town Center property owners have not executed these agreements, creating an unnecessary risk for the Township. Patrol on private property by commissioned law enforcement officers performing official duties reduces this risk.
Q10. Are there liability concerns with A&O employees using their own horses?
Yes. A&O patrol generally use personally owned horses to perform Township-contracted patrol services. This means privately owned animals are being used to provide a public service under a Township contract, creating potential liability considerations for the Township if an incident involving a horse occurs while those services are being performed.
Under a MCSO model, the horses would be part of the Sheriff’s Office mounted patrol operation, with MCSO responsible for their care, training, deployment and operation of the mounted unit. This would place responsibility for the mounted operation with the law enforcement agency providing the service.
Q11. Is the Township eliminating 35 A&O trooper positions?
No. The existing Township contract funds 387 “trooper” hours per week, equivalent to approximately 9.7 full-time positions based on a 40-hour workweek. A&O currently determines how those hours are distributed among its workforce. The Township recognizes that some A&O personnel may be impacted when the contract expires December 31, 2026. However, the Township does not fund 35 full-time A&O trooper positions. “Trooper” is the terminology used in the A&O contract to describe its mounted personnel and does not indicate or confer any legal law enforcement authority. A&O “troopers” are civilian courtesy patrol personnel, not commissioned law enforcement officers.
Q12. Why hasn’t a complete MCSO proposal been released?
A complete MCSO proposal has not yet been presented to the Board. Preliminary cost estimates were provided for 2027 budget planning purposes so the Board could determine whether to allocate funding for this option. A complete proposal will be presented at a future public Board meeting and made available to the public as part of that process. No agreement with MCSO for mounted patrol services has been reached or approved.
Q13. What is included in MCSO’s preliminary cost estimate?
The preliminary estimate includes the anticipated operating costs of the service, including salaries and benefits for the proposed deputies and sergeant, special mounted uniforms and supplies, veterinary and farrier care, feed, equipment, and other expenses typically associated with operating a mounted patrol program. Management and administrative support would be provided through existing MCSO personnel. One-time startup costs are separate and would be funded in partnership with MCSO.
Q14. How does the cost structure in MCSO’s proposal differ from the cost structure in A&O’s contract?
Under MCSO’s preliminary proposed cost structure, the Township would be invoiced only for expenses actually incurred and have access to all supporting documentation. By contrast, A&O currently charges the Township an hourly rate for each category of employee providing service (trooper, manager, clerk, and support staff). A&O’s hourly rates cover not only employee compensation but also any overhead and profit margin built into A&O’s business model.
Q15. What can the community expect from mounted patrol moving forward?
The Woodlands Township remains committed to maintaining a mounted patrol presence that supports a safe, welcoming community, prioritizes community engagement and preserves the positive interactions with residents, businesses and visitors that have long been an important part of mounted patrol.
“The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office has maintained a longstanding law-enforcement partnership with The Woodlands community for more than four decades, beginning before 1982, and we look forward to continuing this great partnership into the future.” — Montgomery County Sheriff Wesley Doolittle
“Our responsibility is to the residents and taxpayers of The Woodlands. We will make decisions based on facts, public safety, accountability and the responsible use of taxpayer dollars. Mounted patrol is not going away. We are evaluating how to make it stronger, more capable and more accountable to the community we serve.” — Township Board Chairman Brad Bailey
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