(L-R photo ID)  Dale Neal and Bob Gray of Nissan, Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh, County Commissioner Pettus Read, Deputy Jared Keith, Sgt. James Holloway and Detective Austin Mobbs of the Mounted Patrol Unit.

(SMYRNA)  You talk about going the extra mile to help law enforcement. Nissan employees in the trim and chassis division designed and produced 12 face shields for the Sheriff’s Mounted Patrol horses. That's right, these are for the horses!

Randy, one of the mounted patrol horses, appeared curious when Nissan Quality Manager Bob Gray and Trim and Chassis Supervisor Neal White attached a protective face shield on his head.

Watching the expression on the giant draft breed horse, Gray noted, “He seems to tolerate it great.”

Rutherford County Sheriffs Mounted Patrol Sergeant James Holloway noted that he and other Mounted Patrol officers were excited about the new face shields for their equestrian partners.

Holloway explained, “If we are in a crowd control situation, the shields will protect the horses’ noses and faces. Plus, the horses will adapt, because they can see through the clear shields".

The idea originated with County Commissioner Pettus Read who generously gave a donation for the Horse Patrol Unit.

Holloway and Major Steve Spence discussed needing shields for the horses, so Spence asked Captain Britt Reed if he knew anyone at Nissan who might create the equipment.

Reed enlisted help from his brother-in-law, Nissan’s Quality Assurance Director Tim Slate, who consulted with Trim and Chassis Assembly Director Tim Fallon. They worked with Holloway to obtain the specifications and the rest is history.

Nissan employees previously produced 53,000 face shields for nurses and first responders.

White said his team just had to adjust face shields for the large head on the horses.

Rutherford County Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh said, “We appreciate Nissan employees for taking the interest and the time to create the face shields that will offer protection for our horses. It shows what a cooperative effort does in our community when we all come together and work for the common good.”