The purpose of the Ride‑Along Program is to improve police and public relations by familiarizing participants with the complex and unpredictable nature of police work.
Inquiries about the Ride-Along Program and requests for rides should be referred directly to the precinct/unit/division that the caller is interested in riding with. Each precinct/unit/division will handle its own ride-along requests.
Participants must normally be eighteen years of age. They will be assigned to a squad or vehicle with two officers unless an officer, with the approval of a supervisor, chooses otherwise.
Ride‑alongs are limited to one participant per squad or vehicle. The time limit for a ride-along is four hours; however, the supervisor and officers may agree to more hours.
An officer's involvement with the program is voluntary, but an officer who has taken friends as riders can reasonably be regarded as volunteering to take others.
Any variation or exception to the ride-along process requires the written permission of the Chief of Police or the Deputy Chief of the appropriate Field Services Bureau.
Definitions
Refer to the Commonly Used Terms page for general definitions.