Ride-Along Program

The ride-along program is an attempt to favorably expose the citizen or police applicant to police work.

• Persons wishing to participate in the program will furnish their name and date of birth to a supervisor.
• A records check will be completed to check for outstanding warrants or other issues that would make the citizen ineligible for the ride along.
• A police supervisor will make the person requesting a ride-along aware of the limitations imposed while accompanying police officers on foot or in patrol vehicles.
• After being informed of the risks involved, the person will sign the Release and Assumption of Risk form before being allowed to ride-along.
• No cameras or tape recorders will be allowed, unless previously authorized by the Chief or an Assistant Chief.
• The ride-along arrangement may be canceled or terminated by the officer or supervisor at any point.
• If it becomes advisable during the course of the ride-along not to take the person to a particular call the officer will let the person out of the car and advise the Communications Center of the location. If available, another unit will be dispatched to the location for transport of the person back to the station.

Because of state laws regarding privacy and confidentiality, ride-alongs will not be involved in interrogations or search and seizures. Ridealongs may be involved in investigative detentions. A limit of two ridealong experiences will be placed on all participants. This limit does not apply to registered members of the UWPD Explorer Post and Interns.

Citizens and police department applicants will be limited to four hours duration except where otherwise authorized by the shift supervisor.