Ride Along Questions.......

[Praja]

Hello,

I am a studend going for my criminal justice degree and I would like to be a LEO. I will be filling out some applications and going on some ride alongs with a few diffrent PD'd. My first question is what type of clothing sould I wear, ie jeans and tshirt, or dress pant and a tie?

My next question is when the officer I am ridding with goes to a call do I get out with him/her or do I wait in the the cruser? Last question (please dont take this the wrong way) CCW on a ride along? Not that I would ever draw my wepond, however if a call went very wrong and GOD forbid the officer was down and the perp was comming for me type thing.

Please let me know what you think about these things, also any other input would be great.

Thanks and God bless....

[tucansam]

I've been on a few ride-alongs with different agencies.

As far as attire, upscale business, out of respect. I never wore a tie, but Dockers + a nice collared polo shirt (tucked in) works. And nice shoes.

The agency will instruct you on what you can and can't do, and then the officer will do the same. Sometimes you will need to stay with the vehicle, sometimes you can go, depending on the call (at least that has been my experience).

These are all questions you could ask the Public Information Officer for the agency(ies) you are looking at.

[USN RM3]

You should contact the agency you are riding with and ask them, what you will need to wear, in my department all persons are required to wear Body armor (provided to them). I had a kid one time show up wearing a t-shirt with "FBI" on it....I understand that he bought it at a flea market, however he was not allowed to ride unless he removed it....

Besides most of the time the person whom is on the ride along is not allowed to get out of the car.

[msidner]

I did ride-alongs at a local small PD while I was in High School doing a mentorship program. Basically it was always officer discretion, and if he/she didn't tell you you could come out of the car and observe closer, you couldn't, so they did it on an "invitation" basis. Since I was one of their students they let me carry OC spray, but only after getting a nice little blast in the face with the rest of the students Lets just say I don't want to get sprayed with that stuff again. They required business casual, dress slacks, nice shirt, and proper shoes (they really recommended getting a pair of Bates or similar, with good soles but dressy), and nobody was ever allowed to carry a firearm while on a ridealong (meaning the adults who did it). Overall I enjoyed the experience and found it to be quite insightful as to how a PD runs on all three shifts. But whomever is coordinating your ridealongs will be the definitive on their policies.

[awbrollini]

at my agency, and most in arizona, due to officer safety and liability, no firearms what-so-ever.

i work at my agency, so i get to wear tshirt and jeans, but i'm not sure for a dress code.

and as far as getting out of the car, its up to the officer, so ask him/her what they want you to do.