# Ride along Etiquette



## southy88

I have recently come upon an opportunity to do a ride along with my local PD through their Citizen Police Academy. I'm curious if officers have any opinions on ride along etiquette. Should I just sit and be quite? Should I not ask too many questions? Should I attempt to make conversation? What kind of things do you like/dislike a ride along to do.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I would hate to disrespect or annoy the officer who takes me for the ride.


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## cc3915

Ask if you can play with the lights and siren. :tounge_smile:


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## Guest

Feel free to ask questions.....the officer volunteered or agreed to take a ridealong, so he/she is most likely going to be open to answering questions or engaging in conversation. That's kind of the whole point of the ridealong.


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## DEI8

I don't mind questions, so if it was me you were the ridealond with, ask away. I enjoy talking shop and teaching.


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## 7costanza

I can't figure out how to do it from my cell. That clip of Jerry and George in LA in the back of the cruiser would go so well here.


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## cc3915

7costanza said:


> I can't figure out how to do it from my cell. That clip of Jerry and George in LA in the back of the cruiser would go so well here.


Found it for ya.....


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## 7costanza

There ya go Southy do what they did. The Cop on the left also played Jake Jarmel from the jujy fruits episode.


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## Guest

7costanza said:


> I can't figure out how to do it from my cell. That clip of Jerry and George in LA in the back of the cruiser would go so well here.


They tried to get Kent McCord and Martin Milner (Adam-12) to play the parts of the cops for that scene. McCord lives in Los Angeles and was totally up for it, but Milner lives in some mid-Western state and does a radio talk show about fishing.....he didn't want to do it, and McCord wouldn't do it without him.

Too bad....that would have been TV Hall of Fame material.


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## 7costanza

I did not know that. LACopper would have been perfect for the part.


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## lofu

Please, please, whatever you do don't just sit there staring out the window. It is quite awkward and boring to drive around talking to yourself for 4 hours. I'd rather answer questions that you might think are stupid and educate you a little bit about what it is we really do than drive around with you in silence or texting your friends all night.


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## Herrdoktor

cc3915 said:


> Ask if you can play with the lights and siren. :tounge_smile:


Any reason to turn on the LEDs is a good reason imo :smug:


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## CJIS

Asking questions is fine but be sure to ask them at the right times. If the officer is responding to a call lights and sirens just sit still and listen. Also when the officer is on the call do as he says. Many Dept's will not want you getting out of the car if there is a risk to your safety or your presence may make a situation more complicated. You can learn a lot from a ride a long and it can be a great experience for you.

Good luck.


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## Guest

I was wondering the same thing. I was going to call the city to schedule a ride along with Deuce. I was going to ask 'are we there yet?' The whole time.

Sent from my Incredible 2 using Tapatalk


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## Herrdoktor

If you are in the passenger seat while the officer is running cold don't yelp like a train is about to T-bone you every time you go through an intersection.

I almost shit my pants when a ride along yelped for no reason whatsoever.


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## justanotherparatrooper

show up dressed like this


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## SPQR

lofu said:


> Please, please, whatever you do don't just sit there staring out the window. It is quite awkward and boring to drive around talking to yourself for 4 hours. I'd rather answer questions that you might think are stupid and educate you a little bit about what it is we really do than drive around with you in silence or texting your friends all night.


I don't take ride alongs due to the fact my chief knows I'm a grumpy loner (i.e. I work midnights). However, I would suggest you DO NOT take cool pics to post on facebook nor tweet about your "shift". What happens in the cruiser stays in the cruiser. With that said, just relax, have fun and like others have said ask questions. Nothing worse than awkward silence


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## csauce777

Herrdoktor said:


> Any reason to turn on the LEDs is a good reason imo


That reminds me...in Montgomery County MD, the MCPD guys are essentially told when they can/cant activate their warning equipment. They can always downgrade, but can not necessarily decide when to use their lights/sirens as its dictated by policy. Is it the same in VA?

Kinda random but your post reminded me...


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## csauce777

justanotherparatrooper said:


> show up dressed like this


And order yourself one of these for your belt. We wouldnt want anyone to know you're not "on the job."
View attachment 3346


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## Herrdoktor

csauce777 said:


> That reminds me...in Montgomery County MD, the MCPD guys are essentially told when they can/cant activate their warning equipment. They can always downgrade, but can not necessarily decide when to use their lights/sirens as its dictated by policy. Is it the same in VA?
> 
> Kinda random but your post reminded me...


First of any tone alert or violent crime is an automatic. Double tones/Signal 1s are a cluster because you have VSP and about 4 surrounding jurisdictions all going to the same area. I-66 or I-95 looks like a Christmas parade. Unless there is an explicit "slow down" on all bands guys will come from an hour away if needed. Feds will jump on board for Signal 1s as well.

As for the grey area stuff, Virginia pretty much goes by the mantra of, "if you can articulate your actions you are good.' If I hear the slightest hesitation or change in the voice of my beat partner over the radio that's a code run. If a call is dispatched poorly and I think there is more to the story I run code. I'm sure I can think of 100 other examples if I wasn't so tired right now.

There are of course certain General Orders and Policies that have to be followed while you do certain things but for the most part we are not on a short leash when it comes to using our emergency equipment. Hell we have had guys blow the door off the Chief running code to calls. When he got on scene he said, "those boys we driving fast!"

Side note: I'm sure you guys all have your own side code words or phrases for the radio, but if someone asks for an ETA down here and it's not completely obvious the question is legit (like the officer is waiting for flares or something) people are rolling in that direction.


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## Deuce

5-0 said:


> I was going to call the city to schedule a ride along with Deuce.


Bring the beer and it's a deal!

---------- Post added at 17:28 ---------- Previous post was at 17:26 ----------



southy88 said:


> What kind of things do you dislike


civilians...



Delta784 said:


> the officer volunteered or agreed to take a ridealong


Not always true...


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## southy88

Delta784 said:


> the officer volunteered or agreed to take a ridealong


Not always true...[/QUOTE]

That's exactly why I raised the question


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## Guest

Deuce said:


> Not always true...


It is for us....if we have a ridealong, they're there at our invitation or with our permission.

Every ridealong I've had has been either on the job themselves somewhere else, or someone I already knew and trusted.


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## SgtAndySipowicz

I had a high school kid ask me (on a ride-a-long) if I kept the beer that was confiscated from high school kids....... try and ask intelligent questions, not probing questions as if you are working for the media.............oh, and try to complete a sentence without using the word "like", you sound a bit more mature...........


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## justanotherparatrooper

some. a few really lucky ones....get to ride in the trunk


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## LA Copper

Whenever I have a ride along, I take them to the dirtiest alleys, the most gang infested, and the worst section of the area I can find. I want the ride along to have the "best" experience ever! I then have my ride alongs get out with me while we go to just about all the calls, unless maybe they might get in the way. 

Our ride alongs have to sign a waiver prior to going out on the street so it's not really an issue about their safety. If they wanted to stay safe, they could ride along with "Joe the Plumber."

I recommend you dress in dark clothing, turn your phone off, listen to what your "partner" tells you, don't talk when the radio is talking, and don't interfere when your "partner" is taking police action. Oh, and have fun!


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## MARINECOP

When I got hired first by a civil service department as a part-time officer it was very tough. The first ride along I did was with a 12 year patrolman. He was not happy to be hunting for dirt with some noob sitting in the passenger seat. I remember him cranking up the cruisers radio very loud on some 80's station and I wondered how the hell he would hear dispatch if a call came his way. He did not say one word to me the whole ride along. At the end he asked me what I saw? I just tried to say the name of the streets and landmarks to prove to him that I was observing the area. (That is what the Chief told me at the roll call, to get to know the area during the ride along) He said that you didn't hear nothing but the radio and you didn't see nothing because you weren't looking! I never knew what that meant and thought the guy was an asshole. I now know what he meant. Later on the guy who is a SGT. now taught me a lot in the long run. I now use some of his cold and calm style of teaching when I FTO a new boot. I know this is not the hardcore 90's so what I would suggest to you TS is to dress squared away, bring a coffee to the officer (with cream and sugar on the side), *keep your mouth shut unless spoken to *and to keep your ears and eyes open. I wish you the best of luck and enjoy.


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## southy88

LA Copper said:


> Whenever I have a ride along, I take them to the dirtiest alleys, the most gang infested, and the worst section of the area I can find. I want the ride along to have the "best" experience ever!...
> Oh, and have fun!


La that's gotta be a thrilling ridealong out your way...or terrifying.


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## msw

SgtAndySipowicz said:


> I had a high school kid ask me (on a ride-a-long) if I kept the beer that was confiscated from high school kids....... try and ask intelligent questions.....


You mean that's not done anymore? I'm pretty sure that was SOP when I was a teenager, when my friends and I watched our beer disappear into the trunks of a cruiser or two. And in my early years (long, long ago) "on the job" in MA (early 1970's), I even heard rumors that such things were _still_ going on, though, of course, I have no independent knowledge or recollection of such events having actually transpired. Oh, how times have changed.

---------- Post added at 21:30 ---------- Previous post was at 21:21 ----------



LA Copper said:


> Whenever I have a ride along, I take them to the dirtiest alleys, the most gang infested, and the worst section of the area I can find.......


Hey, LA Copper, we didn't have a choice, did we? Those were the _ONLY_ kinds of areas we had (mine were FPK and LNX, in South Central L.A.)!!


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## BrickCop

I haven't read every post so apologies if my suggestions have already been mentioned. Here are my suggestions for an informative and memorable ride along.

-Break wind often (we don't call it farting on the job...we're professionals). Nothing breaks up the monotany of a shared laugh over imminent methane death.

-Open the window and make a siren noise "RRRRRrrrrrrrrr!!!!" to any pedestrian you observe. This will convey that the PD is tolerant and easygoing. In the interest of accuracy don't forget to mix in a "Baaap, Baap" noise for the airhorn.

-Ask to hold the officer's sidearm during the ridealong. This will visibly demonstrate the trusting partnership between the police and the community they serve.

-Make as many donut related references or jokes as possible...it never gets old and is sure to evoke a hearty laugh with each and every mention.


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## mayhem988

I once had a kid show up in bloused BDU's and a t-shirt that said police...later to find out he also had cuffs in his pocket.
Just don't do that.


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## honor12900

mayhem988 said:


> I once had a kid show up in bloused BDU's and a t-shirt that said police...later to find out he also had cuffs in his pocket.
> Just don't do that.


Hmm I also had some weirdo do that minus the police t-shirt! Was it a north shore department?


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## mayhem988

honor12900 said:


> Hmm I also had some weirdo do that minus the police t-shirt! Was it a north shore department?


Negative....Wmass but he may travel. Honestly that would not surprise me.


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## niteowl1970

mayhem988 said:


> Negative....Wmass but he may travel. Honestly that would not surprise me.


Was he "on the job at Six Flags?"


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## Guest

mayhem988 said:


> I once had a kid show up in bloused BDU's and a t-shirt that said police...later to find out he also had cuffs in his pocket.


He wouldn't have gotten in my cruiser dressed like that.

I tell my ridealongs ahead of time to dress comfortably, but I had a British cop show up dressed to the nines, looking like he was headed out for High Tea with the Queen. That was an interesting night.


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## Hush

Its been 13 years since my last ride-along....looking forward to my next trip to LA!


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## Guest

Hush said:


> Its been 13 years since my last ride-along....looking forward to my next trip to LA!


If you don't mind a road trip to the big Q, I can set one up for you. Just be forewarned that my having a ridealong almost guarantees a slow night.


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## niteowl1970

Delta784 said:


> I had a British cop show up dressed to the nines


That story was Masscops gold !


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## Hush

Delta784 said:


> If you don't mind a road trip to the big Q, I can set one up for you. Just be forewarned that my having a ridealong almost guarantees a slow night.


PM sent!


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## mayhem988

Delta784 said:


> He wouldn't have gotten in my cruiser dressed like that.
> 
> I tell my ridealongs ahead of time to dress comfortably, but I had a British cop show up dressed to the nines, looking like he was headed out for High Tea with the Queen. That was an interesting night.


He was quickly turned on his way. 
He then came back a week later in normal clothes but with an ANSZI jacket. We had a bad Mva and my supervisor made him turn cars around....he thought he was god the kid was on cloud 9.
Hes in the hiring process as a special in a municipality out this way god help us.


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## 9319

I had on a shirt that said "IM WITH STUPID" with a finger pointing left. It was going to be that one or the one with Ralph Wiggims that said "My daddy likes donuts". :tounge_smile:


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## csauce777

I took a ride-along with me over the summer. It wasn't too shabby having a certain LAPD Sgt. covering my ass.


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## mayhem988

USMCMP5811 said:


> His name isn't Mikey is it?


Nope Tom.


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