Betty Robertson thought she was taking part in an event to name a new police horse.
But officers, friends and fourth-grade students surprised her Tuesday, making the longtime volunteer the center of attention.
“Oh, my gosh!” a breathless Robertson exclaimed as Denver police Cmdr. Deborah Dilley read from a plaque dedicating the Betty Robertson Stables in southwest Denver. Robertson has purchased several horses for the Denver Police Department’s Mounted Patrol Unit in recent years.
“I’ve always been an animal lover; it goes deep down,” she said.
Cpl. John Stratton of the mounted patrol said Robertson’s generosity has been a big help for the three-officer, seven-horse unit formed in 1984 to help with crowd control and downtown patrols.
“The quality of horses she procures for us makes a big difference,” Stratton said. “They have the right aptitude for police work.”
In addition to the honor for Robertson on Tuesday, dozens of students from Traylor Academy worked their way through the stables talking to the horses, learning about saddles, spurs, ropes and other equipment and meeting a horse they named Magic.
“He’s big!” wide-eyed Jacob Guinn said.
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com
