East Meadow, NY—Nassau County Executive Laura Curran joined with Commissioner of Police Patrick Ryder, members of the NCPD Mounted Unit, and Police Officer Michael Califano’s family, for a retirement ceremony for Mounted Unit Horse “Mike” Califano.
Mounted Unit Horse “Mike” was named after Police Officer Michael Califano, who was killed in the Line of Duty on February 5, 2011. “Mike” is black in color, a Percheron mix breed, in his early 20’s and wore the Shield MU4. “Mike” was the lead horse with the most experience in the NCPD Mounted Unit, he spent his career partnered with Police Officer Patrick Pierson and has protected the public while assigned to hundreds of details over the years. Some of those details include, Presidential Debates in 2012 and 2016, the Trump Rally, multiple Oyster Fest's, Events at Nassau Coliseum, School visits and funerals. Horse “Mike” is the first Line of Duty named horse to retire and he will be adopted by a deserving family.
“Mounted Unit Horse “Mike” honored the memory of one of Nassau County’s bravest, Police Officer Michael Califano, who made the ultimate sacrifice in 2011,” said County Executive Curran. “I am honored to join the Califano family for his send off into retirement, and thank “Mike” for his years of service protecting the residents of our County.”
“Since being sworn in as a Nassau County Legislator, my staff and I have been working diligently alongside County Executive Curran’s administration to devise new methods for reaching residents in crisis and guiding them to the help they need to find recovery from addiction,” Legislator Lafazan said. “I am truly grateful for my colleagues’ support for creating new, life-saving tools for reaching individuals who are caught in the grip of the opioid crisis.”
“Information about the hotline and the smart app will be available at our Police Commissioners Community Council meetings,” said Curran. “These resources along with Operation Natalie, an opioid mapping program, and the lawsuit against Purdue Pharma, a major producer of opioid-based medicines, demonstrate that my administration will continue to do everything it can to help those who are impacted by the opioid scourge.”