LANCASTER, Pa. -- Mounted officer Eric Lukacs and his partner Liam do more than just trot around the streets of Lancaster.
“We do everything from 911 calls to actually education," explained officer Lukacs.
Now, there’s a children’s book written by author Ellen Feld that is educating kids about those responsibilities, according to WPMT.
“We wear a little different hats, and that’s what is really neat about this book is that it shows the kids through pictures and learning how to read that horses help the community," he added.
It’s called ‘What Does A Police Horse Do?’ and it answers itself.
The author used photos of Officer Lukacs and Liam on the job.
“He’s an interesting story. He came from Toronto, Canada. When he was four years old, he was pulling carriages for tourism. That didn’t work out for him. The owner who had him didn’t see he had much value... so we turned him into a very good police horse, and he’s 17 now," said Officer Lukcas.
Now, he's also a local celebrity.
He brings quite a few smiles to people at Long's Park.
“I love mounted police. I think they are fascinating to watch!" said Megan Seip, a parent. “I would definitely enjoy educating my son on what they do, how important they are."
The book costs just under $10.
Officer Lukacs says a generous portion of sale proceeds help fund the department’s mounted unit, and that includes Liam and three other horses.
“We’ve had other cities throughout the state have closed down their mounted units because it was very expensive for their city budget. Fortunately, for us, since 1979, we have a foundation," he explained.
Money raised and donations pay for the horses’ vet bills, equipment, and general upkeep.
“That helps keep our unit alive. It never goes into the city budget," he explained.
People can order the book on Amazon; however, there is a wait right now.
People can make immediate purchases on the publisher's website. Just follow this link.
There is free shipping with the promo code "LIAM".
The book is also being carried at these locations:
- Bomberger's ACE Hardware in Lititz, Pa.
- EM Herr's ACE Hardware in Willow Street, Pa.
- Pro Look Uniforms in Lancaster, Pa.
- Whiff Coffee Roasters in Lititz, Pa.
