Unit of Assignment / Detail: Bureau of Patrol - Patrol Group A, Special Functions Group: Unit 055 - Mounted Unit
District of Incident (Present Day): 018 - Near North
Cause of Death: Illness - Cardiac Arrest
Age at Time of Death: 18
Timeline
Date of Birth:
Date of Appointment: Jan 2003
Date of Incident: 29 Aug 2011
End of Watch: 29 Aug 2011
Date of Interment:
Interment Details
Cemetery: Not Interred - Other Grave Location: Does Not Apply Interment Disposition: Cremated
Memorial Details
Superintendent’s Honored Star Case:
Gold Star Families Memorial Wall:
Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall:
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall:
Officer Down Memorial Page: Not Listed
Service
Military Service: Did Not Serve
Incident & Biographic Details
Police Equine Mikey C., aged 16 years, was an 8 year, 7 month veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the Bureau of Patrol – Patrol Group A, Special Functions Group: Unit 055 – Mounted Unit.
On August 29, 2011, at 2:00 p.m., Police Horse Mikey C. and his partner, Police Officer Paul Casasanto, were on patrol at North Avenue Beach. Suddenly and without warning Mikey C. became ill, reared and struggled. Officer Casasanto slid off Mikey C. and tried to calm him while people began to gather around. Officer Casasanto ordered them to “ Stay back,“ as Mikey C. continued to kick his hind legs. Mikey C., after several weakening attempts to stand, folded to the ground and rolled onto his side. When Police Horse Mikey C. laid his head on the pavement in defeat, Officer Casasanto placed one hand over his half-open eye as he took one last labored breath. Police Horse Mikey C., a chestnut thoroughbred, was an imposing 16.1 hands, or 65 inches from the shoulder. He was a retired racehorse, purchased by the city in January 2003. The diagnosis of his death was from a probable heart attack or aneurysm.
Police Horse Mikey C. was named in honor of Patrolman Michael Ceriale, who was killed in the line of duty while conducting undercover drug surveillance on August 21,1998. Mikey C. was one of 21 CPD horses named after fallen officers, a practice that began in 2001.
Police Equine Mikey C. received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department in 2003.
Police Horse Mikey C. was survived by his handler, Police Officer Paul Casasanto.
Cemetery: Not Interred - Other
Grave Location: Does Not Apply
Interment Disposition: Cremated
Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: 
Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: 
Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: 
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: 
Officer Down Memorial Page: Not Listed
Military Service: Did Not Serve