If you plan to watch the inauguration parade for President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20, be on the lookout for the Merced County Sheriff’s Posse, and the agency banner for the Stanislaus County posse.
Stanislaus was unable to send its unit to Washington D.C. for the inauguration, but Merced Sheriff Vern Warnke reached out to his counterpart in Stanislaus County, Sheriff Jeff Dirkse, and offered to carry the Stanislaus banner during the parade.
“We are honored that Merced’s posse has included our flag in the inauguration parade,” said Dirkse, whose posse is comprised of sworn deputies, while Merced’s is made up of volunteers.
According to Merced County Sheriff’s public information officer Sgt. Michael Domingue, Warnke extended the offer to departments from San Joaquin to Kern counties.
The Merced County posse consists of about 20 riders, though only 12 will be making the trek to the nation’s capital. It will cost more than $100,000 to make the journey.
The horses will be driven across country in NASA-inspired trailers that are climate controlled and more spacious than a typical horse trailer.
“It costs about $70,000 just to transport the horses,” said Domingue. “ They get to go first class, and the rest of us are going coach.”
The Merced County posse attended inaugurations for presidents Richard Nixon, George H.W. Bush, and Trump in 2017. The group was also part of the nation’s bicentennial parade in 1976.
“This is not just a celebration of a specific president,” said Warnke. “It’s a celebration of the rights of the citizens, and the power of voting, and the constitutional rights that we have.”
You can donate to the posse’s travel fund by using Venmo (@Theposse1948) or GoFundMe (search: Help Merced Sheriff Posse attend the 47th inaugural parade). Or you can you send a check, made out to Merced County Sheriff Posse, to 700 W. 22nd St., Merced, CA 95340.
