Ride-along
The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (August 2023) |
A ride-along is an arrangement for a civilian to spend a shift in the passenger seat of an emergency vehicle, observing the work day of a police officer, firefighter, paramedic, or security.
Ride-alongs are offered by many police departments around the world. There is a minimum age to participate in a ride-along. Depending on the department, it is often somewhere between the ages of 12 and 18. When participation of those under 18 is permitted, consent from a parent or
People go on ride-alongs for various reasons. These include interest in a future career in law enforcement, personal interest in law enforcement officers without such a career, journalists wishing to write reports, and those interested in community relations. Some emergency departments require dispatchers to go on ride-alongs so they can get a first-hand feel for the area they are responsible for. Regardless of the reason, all citizens who meet the department's eligibility requirements are generally welcome on a ride-along.
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Issues with ride-alongs
Ride-alongs face a variety of issues.
For the most part, the safety of the person on the ride-along must be considered. Officers with ride-alongs generally will drop off the person in a safe place prior to an emergency response if they believe the call may pose danger, and another available officer will attempt to pick the person up. Many departments require applicants to sign a liability waiver prior to participation. It is not always possible for the officer to avoid a situation in which the person riding along may be in danger.
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Most participants in ride-alongs do not have ill intentions; however, in 1991, famed journalist and
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In fiction
The 1993 film Cop and a Half portrays a boy on a ride-along, who witnesses a murder.
In the TV series Friends, the episode entitled "The One with the Ride-Along" features Chandler, Joey, and Ross on a ride-along with Phoebe's then-boyfriend Gary, who was a cop.
In The Simpsons episode "Separate Vocations", Bart Simpson goes on a ride-along with Springfield police officers Eddie and Lou, following an aptitude test which suggests that Bart is best suited as a police officer.
An episode of Everybody Loves Raymond, "The Ride-Along", involves Ray going on a ride-along with his cop brother, Robert.
In the first episode of the TV series Breaking Bad, Walter White goes on a ride-along with his DEA agent brother-in-law, Hank Schrader.
In the 2009 film Observe and Report, Ronnie Barnhardt (Seth Rogen's character) goes on a ride-along.
The 2014 film Ride Along focuses on a security guard (Kevin Hart) going on a ride-along with a police officer (Ice Cube) whose sister he wants to marry.
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In the episode named "The Ride Along" of the 2018 TV series