The Pharr Police Department is adding horses to their fleet. 

Four Pharr police officers will be patrolling on horseback after completing a four-week training hosted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 

The officers are the first to be nationally horse patrol certified since the department was created in the early 1900's.

City of Pharr Mayor Dr. Ambrosio Hernandez said the historic moment has been in the making for two years.

Hernandez said the goal is for the public to engage with law enforcement. 

"We want the children, for instance from schools, to be able to come through, say hi, pet the horses, meet law enforcement and maybe potentially not fear them as much," Hernandez said. "Kind of do away with all the myths behind it."

Pharr Police Chief Andy Harvey said the horse patrol will begin patrolling city neighborhoods. 

Harvey said those officers will be able to see things officers in squad cars may not. 

"They're going to be able to make connections with people in our neighborhoods," Harvey said. "There's something in these beautiful horses that people are really attracted to."

The horse patrol will begin once the training wraps up. Hernandez said plans to continue growing the program with more officers are in the near future.