Some may not like it, I don't know. I always welcomed it. Most people have NO IDEA what the actual job of a cop is like. when the person gets in the car with you and sees for himself that the guy you stopped WAS speeding, but still gave you a hard time.......etc.propellerhead wrote:I've always wondered if the officers feel that this ride-a-long thing is a pain in the rear. I always thought having a civilian in the car would limit what they can do.txinvestigator wrote:I had many ride-a-longs when I was an officer. It is a great experience for both officer and citizen.
Most departments have a strict no-gun policy for riders.
I had a woman ride once who basically said, "I want you to know up front that the only reason I am riding is to see why cops have such a chip on their shoulders".
I always took my time to explain why we do everything we do and allowed the rider to ask questions AFTER each call. By the end of the night she was a supporter. She had a 'them vs us' attitude regarding civilians and the police. During the ride, she became one of the "cops" in her mind, since everything she observed was from my POV, which made it her POV.
She even wrote a glowing letter to the Chief and Mayor.