DENVER (KDVR) — The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office is training its Mounted Unit, the team of horses, to create space around and safely escort large vehicles following an incident that left an officer with an amputated leg at the Denver Nuggets’ championship parade in 2023.

During the parade, near West 13th Avenue and Cherokee Street, fans made their way into the street ahead of the fire truck that was carrying the Nuggets players.

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Denver Police Sgt. Justin Dodge moved to escort the people back to safety outside the path of the fire truck, but was himself hit and run over. Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said that Dodge’s leg was trapped under the truck until he was able to be safely removed.

“This was a very chaotic environment,” said Denver Fire Department Spokesperson Greg Pixley. “There’s a lot of people around there and unfortunately, every once in a while, there’s circumstances like this that happen.”

Dodge would eventually have his leg amputated below the knee.

To help ensure that a similar incident does not happen again, Denver-area law enforcement agencies are training their horse units to create a barrier around any large vehicles that might be in a parade.

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The training helps the riders create a safety barrier, while also helping the horses get used to being around sirens, flashing lights, loud noises and large crowds.

“We saw the need for this after a Denver Police sergeant was injured during a 2023 parade,” said Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Rich Anselmi in a social media post. “We want everyone to have fun at these events, but most importantly, we want it to be safe.”

The sheriff’s office said that seven other agencies are participating in the training, which takes place twice a year, in the spring and fall.

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