World's oldest mounted police unit celebrates 200 years

They are the oldest mounted police unit in the world and today, NSW is celebrating the brave officers and troop horses helping keep streets across the state safe for 200 years.

A parade will be held along Macquarie Street to the iconic Sydney Opera House and NSW Police Superintendent Julian Griffiths shared some of the unit's incredible history with Today.

"When it originated, the unit evolved in 1825, around the era of the bushrangers and the convicts who were on a crime spree in the state," he said.

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With the advent of technology and cars, the need for horses in the organisation may not seem as great, but Griffiths explained how the mounted unit is still a valuable part of the NSW Police.

"They're majestic, they are beautiful animals the horses that we have here, they're specially trained, they're specially selected and they go through a rigorous assessment process," he said.

"They're fantastic horses, they do a great job and as a police commander, I've seen time and time again over many years how they can defuse situations just with their presence."

Hear more from Superintendent Julian Griffiths in the video above