Mounted patrols will continue to be present in the heart of The Woodlands, but under a new proposal approved Sept. 17, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is slated to provide the services beginning in 2027.
The Woodlands Township board of directors agreed to proceed with a switch from its long-standing contract with Alpha & Omega Mounted Patrol for services in Town Center to a law enforcement model, per a unanimous decision at the township’s Sept. 17 meeting.
Board chair Brad Bailey was not present at the meeting, where the vote was 6-0.
A closer look
Township President and CEO Monique Sharp presented the proposal from Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, detailing how it differs from the current Alpha & Omega contract and what the costs are.
The proposal shows the MCSO plan would have a lower annual cost, aside from some start-up costs in the first year associated with facilities, horses and other needs.
Alpha & Omega’s proposal for fiscal year 2027 consisted of:
Increasing hours per week from 387 to 425
Increasing the annual contract for all services from $1.45M in 2026 to $1.62M in 2027, according to Sharp's presentation
The sheriff’s office proposal is not based on hours per week, but the overall recurring cost would be $1.37M for items such as:
The proposed patrol would launch with:
One sergeant
Six deputies
Seven horses
Two 1-ton trucks
Two four-horse trailers
Plus one-time costs of $954,876 for:
Horses
Building and stalls
Trucks and emergency equipment
Furniture
Grooming and feed supplies
Saddle and tack
Vehicle and trailer costs
The one-time costs would be covered by:
$600,000 for delayed implementation of 2027 MCSO pay parity
$354,876 from the 2026 undesignated fund balance
Some context
At budget meetings in August, the township board approved a change to how the mounted patrol is budgeted, moving it from community engagement to law enforcement, meaning that for FY 2027 it would be considering a new model for the service.
Sharp said one difference between the current model and the law enforcement model is that it is not based on a set number of hours per week, but follows the same approach as other sheriff’s office contracts, allowing the office to determine how and where to carry out coverage, as well as allowing for potential overtime.
What they're saying
Jennifer Clifton, who has worked for Alpha & Omega Mounted Patrol in The Woodlands for 14 years, said the current service works closely with the sheriff's office, but the two entities have different roles. She said she hoped the board would collect more information before making a decision on the matter.
"We do two different things; ... we are safety you can see, the eyes and the ears; we observe, we report everything, and we are hand-in-hand with all of the sheriff’s office here," she said.
Another resident, Penny Prater, spoke at the meeting about experiencing an assault at The Woodlands Mall in 2019 and said increased law enforcement presence was needed in the area.
"I was a single woman walking out to my car in the daytime. I should have been able to expect better protection than this," Prater said.
After the vote, board members told the public, which included several uniformed representatives from Alpha & Omega, they appreciated the company's 30-plus years of service to The Woodlands. Alpha & Omega marked three decades in 2024.
"Thirty years is a long time; it's not taken for granted, and we very much appreciate that. But we do have the opportunity to enhance those services with true law enforcement ... and for less cost," board vice chair Craig Eissler said. "That's a significant value add I don't think we can pass up."
The board's decision authorizes Sharp to negotiate and enter into a final agreement with the county for the service.
