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I'm going on a police ride-along today ***UPDATE - full report linked inside!***

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I'm one of the editors of my school newspaper and lots of kids in my school have a horrible impression of cops here in Ann Arbor, so I decided to call up the police station and ask about a police ride-along program that they've got. They said sure, and I'm going today from about 2 pm to 10 pm. I can't wait, and I'm really excited about it! I'll be writing an article about it for the next issue.

I'm assuming we'll just write tickets and maybe see a burgulary or maybe a fire or medical emergency. If anyone's done anything like this before, tell me what it was like. I'll be bringing my camera along, anyone got any ideas for good pictures? Also, if you want to help me out, and you live in Ann Arbor, feel free to stage an armed robbery this afternoon - that'd be cool!

***UPDATE - here's my link to the full article on the ride-along. I had a great time, and tell me what you think of the writing - it'll be going in my school newspaper, you know!****
Ann Arbor Police force has slow nights, too
 
Did you pack your lunch yet? I suggest you take a pork sandwhich with ham and bacon and a bag of pork rinds. May sure you offer to share with the cop. 😀
 
If you're in the back. Try to find that ultra mega duper secret switch that'll unlock all the doors and pop a spare key of the handcuffs into your hand. Trust me, all cop cars have em for when a crook beats up a guy and shoves him in the back. If you can't find it, ask the driver and tell em not to lie about it. People on anandtech said so.

On a serious note. I don't think you should take pictures. Well, nothing interesting will happen. If it does, it'll involve other people and you can get in trouble for publishing pictures of them. Hmm... Other stuff... Bring along a micro tape recorder. If the guy you're driving turns out to be an ass, get something he says to you on tape without him knowing. It'll pay off later. 😀
 
Went on one when I was a kid (maybe 12 or so) it was fun. The officer let me decide who we pulled over. If I were you I would take pictures of the holding sell, the dispatch office and one of the car with the lights on. You may also want to ask if you can take pictures of the equipment. Also, make sure to ask the officer for some of his or hers scariest moments or weirdest events.
 
Or ask for a handcuff key and hide it in the back in case you ever get picked up! Let your fellow techer's know where it is though just in case!!!
 
ride alongs are great. i've done a few of them. the camera is a bad idea unless you only want a few general shots of the officers or the department. i don't know about that department but you should be riding up front with the officers, unless he has a partner. i've never ridden in the back. i doubt you will see any burglaries or anything of the sort. most of what you will see is traffic violations, domestic disputes, and rarely a medical emergency. as for getting an ass, i have never had a bad cop when doing a ride along...most often the officer either likes to do rides, or it is an officer low in the rankings...like only been there off probation for a few months. so either they cop is really cool, or they are about the same age as you so it makes it easy to find things to talk about and relate with them. my only tip....dress appropriately (khakis, nice shirt, or nice pair of jeans and a nice shirt) no torn jeans, or t-shirts or anything like that. follow what the officer tells you at all times...sometimes you can get out of the car and sometimes not, but make sure you listen to them.

good luck and have fun! they can be a blast if you have a good attitude going in, which it seems you do. 😉
 
Well, since nobody has given the usual "yes i've been on ride alongs, only they were unintended and against my wishes.", i'll say it first.😉
 
Cool - looks like it'll be a lot of fun. Yeah, I'll be sure to dress nicely, and I'm only 17, so hopefully they'll put me with a cop who's cool and/or young and/or friendly. I thought that it was weird though, that the police didn't want any kind of parent waiver from me. I told them I was 17 and they were like, "nope, you don't need anything, just be there 15 min early."

Woo hoo!
 
when you get there you will have to sign a waiver form...but i am surprised that they don't require something from your parents. you'll have to sign a waiver and release form though...and probably get to sit in on the briefing at the beginning...that is pretty cool.
 
Bump-eroo. See top messge by me for full article written by me on the ride-along
 

Good article, well written. You got the "ride along jinx" it sounds like. Whenever we have somebody ride along with us it is terribly slow, but that is good for us.
 
excellent article. very well represented and well written. i know what you mean about the ride being boring and what 911 said about the jinx...my rides are usually like that too....but it's all good. good job man! 🙂
 
Hey, that was a really good article! I too thought this was VERY interesting:
  • "The computer system enables officers see a GPS-enabled map of the city. Every active police car in the department is visible on the map, and is tracked and actually moves on the map as it drives around town."
I also would have given out the ticket! God knows I've gotten enough of them myself! My ratio of tickets to warnings is about 3 to 1.
 


<< cool........do people go on these alot? it cost anything? you wear a vest? >>


depends, some departments simply refuse to do rides. some only for people that live in the same community. some only for prospective employees or students that plan on going into a law enforcement field/sociology/social work.
it doesn't cost anything and no you do not wear a vest. no reason to. if the officer has to attend to something really dangerous he/she will drop you off at a gas station or something and have someone else pick you up if they can or have you wait until they clear it up before you are allowed to join back it. safety is number one with all cops and the departments.
 
I went on a ride-along w/ the Detroit police when I was in college (Criminal Justice Degree). It was a Saturday night from 6pm to 2am and not a damn thing happened! There was one high-speed chase and we were on the way to one of the cops homes so he could drop something off :|

*Edit - I just read your article, good job 🙂.

He proceeded to show me how to call dispatch if he got in trouble, and warned me about the small orange button on top of the radio, when, if pressed, would summon all available units, including fire, medical, and all police in the area. The orange button is only pressed when an officer is under extreme duress.
This gave me a chuckle. 😀
 
Yeah, I didn't wear a bullet proof vest - they didn't even ask me if I wanted one. And I was REALLY nervous about accidentally pressing the orange button b/c then I'd probably get yelled at a lot and maybe get kicked out of the car. So I held the radio in my hand for the entire 8 hrs. and worried about it.
 


<< Did you pack your lunch yet? I suggest you take a pork sandwhich with ham and bacon and a bag of pork rinds. May sure you offer to share with the cop. 😀 >>



😀
 
I have not been on one but when my mom worked for Sherrif's dispatch they were required to do it so they could see what it is like on the other end of the radio. She said that the first night it was slow as hell. The next time they went out she found out that the sherrif's Dodge Intrepids will do 140 with no problem at all.
 
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