For extra credit in my Intro to CJ class I can go on a ride along. Well, extra credit is always good and I want to go on a ride along so I'm setting one up.

Due to scheduling I am going to be doing it with the department here in my college town of about 12,000 people instead of back home. I just called the PD and asked what I needed to do to get this thing started, and I'm about to head over and fill out some paperwork, etc.

So, besides not getting in the way, any other suggestions for me? This will be my first ride along...



ETA: Update in my post

ETA2: Post halfway down page...

Ask good questions. Or think of some before hand to ask.

Put yourself in the officers shoes... Try not to be annoying or act like a know it all.

I do not know how these guys and gals do the job they do day in and day out. I cannot possibly express how much more I appreciate them after having lived through one 8-hour shift. And they do it day after day after day . . .

Oh, and as my husband's C/O said to me when GC introduced us after a DUI pursuit and stop "Welcome to the jungle, baby. How do you like the smell?"

Dress neatly.  No ripped jeans and t-shirt (but not a suit or anything either).  Be prepared with a couple of questions, be a good listener.  Clarify whether the cop would prefer you to get out of the squad on traffic stops, or stay in the squad (I've seen it both ways).

On calls, do what the cop tells you to do right away, keep your mouth shut, ask questions later.

Wear comfortable shoes, because if we go on a "hot" call, we are required to dump any ride-alongs on the side of the road so they don't get shot.  

Have fun!  And this is my tag for the AAR.  

Back from the station. Filled out half a page of paperwork. They're running a background check now. Will have to get in touch with them once the background check is complete. That's when I schedule the ride. Then I go in and sign all the liability stuff.

I'll hopefully be able to do this next Thursday (the 8th). I had my only afternoon class that day canceled so I have free time then.

My professor is actually a formed officer of the same local PD that I'm doing a ride along with. He said they did a lot of half shift ride alongs, instead of the full 8 hrs. We'll see what happens though.

I'll keep you posted. I'm excited.

UPDATE:


Jeepers Freaking Cats! I FINALLY got the ride along SCHEDULED. December 2nd is the day. I will most likely be doing a half shift from 7PM till about 11PM.

A lot of my classmates have been doing ride-alongs too so the department was a bit swamped (I could tell they were getting a little haggard when I talked to them, understandably.) I kept being given the run around, but after another visit to the station and about 5 phone calls I got in for this Sunday night. They said they could try and squeeze me in Saturday night, but I'm busy that night. They said Sundays are slower but I really don't mind. I still get my extra credit whether or not a lot goes on.

Just to get a bit of perspective- Are officers more bothered by ride-alongs on busy nights or slow nights? I'm uncertain what mood the officer will be in...

I cant even find a dept to let me go on a ride along.

I've been on 3 ride alongs so far. 2 with my local PD and one with a larger city PD. The local PD was pretty lax with everything. I got to ride as long as I wanted both times and it was with the same officer. In a town of 4000 people things are pretty slow but I had a good time.

My only advice is find out at the beginning if the officer wants you to stay in the car during stops or not. Ask questions but don't be annoying.

I like ride alongs but I always like to teach the new people.  I am not however a FTO but that is a story for another day.  

The same advice i give to new guys is good for new riders.  Listen to the old guys, they are old guys for a reason.

I don't care how much you know, there is alway something new.  It is the "there is always a bigger fish" thing.

Stay safe

Joe

Quoted: I like ride alongs but I always like to teach the new people.  I am not however a FTO but that is a story for another day.   The same advice i give to new guys is good for new riders.  Listen to the old guys, they are old guys for a reason. I don't care how much you know, there is alway something new.  It is the "there is always a bigger fish" thing. Stay safe Joe

hey aren't you a moto unit.....

Ride along hey none of my business if you swing that way

Quoted: Wear comfortable shoes, because if we go on a "hot" call, we are required to dump any ride-alongs on the side of the road so they don't get shot.

I wonder what they do in Detroit? Id rather take my chances at the call than be left on the side of the road down there! ...at night anyways.

It can be fun. We were expecting a slow night. Started out with some routine traffic stops. Then we had a huge DUI crash (incl LifeFlight), separate DUI arrest, commercial B&E and wrapped up with a barking dog complaint. I was amazed at how much time/paperwork is involved. We also made several stops to provide backup for other officers. I was in a strip of small beach communities and the departments back each other up at night.

Update 2:


Well, I did the half shift ride along tonight. It was a pretty slow night, but it was all around very informative and enjoyable.

The first 3/4 of the ride along I spent with the Sergeant on duty tonight. He's worked at the dept. for 13 years. Th night began off with some paperwork and getting some training lined up for his officers tomorrow. At the station the Sgt. had to get one of the patrol cars started that had been having some problems. Turned out snow had gotten in the exhaust, melted, then froze and plugged it up. We then went out and drove a couple blocks and got some plate#'s off some cars parked too far away from the curb. They were called and they moved them. We had the first major snow fall of the year here yesterday and today, so the roads are quite a mess and parking is insane at the moment. There is alternate side parking in place for the next few days, so people were out digging their cars out.

Apparently if they can't get their car out they just call the police. There were quite a few stuck vehicle calls tonight. There was one we showed up to and the guy had a miniature shovel and he dug  around a bit and eventually the Sergeant and another officer who was in the area helped him rock it out of the snow bank.

The most excitement of the night happened within seconds of one ending and the other beginning. We pulled out onto a 2 lane highway that runs through town and pulled someone over that had a completely obstructed windshield. He hadn't even tried to brush the snow off of it. There was one patch of windshield near the driver side door that was clear and he was leaning and looking out of that. His excuse, "I was in a hurry.". The Sgt. gave him a verbal warning and stood there and watched him brush off the snow. The guy even had the brush behind his seat, but hadn't taken the time.

The Sgt. had barely gotten back in the car when he spotted an oncoming car with no lights on (it was dark out, well past time when they should be on). We pulled a u-turn and stopped them. It was a 16 year old girl who had had her license for less than 2 weeks. Verbal warning. Logged the two stops in his dash cam record book. The end of that.

We then did some patrolling in the industrial park. Drove around some buildings. I talked with the Sgt. a lot about law enforcement as a career, different aspects of it, etc. Talked about a few different procedures, and just talked about the city in general and how it is expanding. I was a little quiet at first since there was stuff going on, but when it slowed down I asked a lot more questions. He was more than willing to talk. I gained some very useful insight from him.

The sergeant had to head in and do paperwork, so I was passed on to another officer. She has only been on the department a few years. She wasn't as talkative. I had a few questions but didn't get more than a couple word answers. She was enjoying listening to the music on the radio. She was getting tired of all the ride alongs that had been coming through recently. Pretty much one every night for the past few weeks. The professor of my class is a former officer at the dept. and everyone really appreciates his sending dozens of college students there way for ride alongs over the past few weeks. I understood her frustration. I joked about the professor a little, and joked about all the ride alongs a little and got some laughter. She warmed up a bit then.

Anyway we did a little parking enforcement. Wrote one ticket on complaint in a private lot. Had to get out and direct her while she turned around the Ford Expedition patrol vehicle in a dead end parking lot with only about 30 feet between the apartment and parked cars. Made a 10 point turn and finally got out of there.

Turns out the officer had just graduated from the same local university that I am currently attending, in the CJ program as well. We ended up talking more about that than anything else. The food in the commons hasn't gotten any better, etc. She didn't like to say a lot. Her husband is a deputy in this county, so she just works here at this smaller dept. She seemed to be a little discontent with her job, but only a little. She seemed to be a good officer.

It was a Sunday night in a small town, so nothing much was going on after about 11PM. Circled the city several times, and then I got dropped off back at my dorm. All in all a good night. Learned quite a bit.

Quoted: snip

Sounds BORINGGGGG.

Welcome to law enforcement

Hours of boredem followed by a few stark moments of terror.

Then days of paperwork

Sounds like a pretty decent ride along.  You in Point?

Quoted: Quoted: snip Sounds BORINGGGGG. Welcome to law enforcement Hours of boredem followed by a few stark moments of terror. Then days of paperwork Sounds like a pretty decent ride along.  You in Point?

That sounds about right.




Not going to Point, I actually am from around there though. I'm a lot farther south at the moment though. IM sent.