LCS Unit Order 2

LANCASTER STATION

UNIT ORDER # 2

RIDE-ALONG POLICY

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this unit order is to establish the Lancaster Station procedures for the administration of the Department's Ride-Along Program.

Lancaster Station personnel will strictly adhere to the Departmental policy regarding the Ride-Along Program.  This policy is outlined in the Policy and Procedures Manual, Section 5-09/250.00, Ride-Along Program.  In addition to the Departmental policy, the following procedures are hereby established for Lancaster Station.

ORDER:

Ride-Along Participants

Ride along participants shall schedule rides in advance with the personnel assigned to Community Relations or, in rare instances, with the watch commander. 

Any station personnel receiving a request from a citizen to be scheduled for a Ride-Along shall obtain the requesting party's name, address, telephone number, and driver's license number.  This information will be forwarded to Community Relations who will run a warrant check prior to scheduling. After scheduling the ride, Community Relations personnel will notify the requesting party and post the information in the Ride-Along Book in the Community Relations Office.

Residents, businessmen, community leaders, and private citizens who live within our station's jurisdiction will have priority in ride-along requests.

Participants without prior scheduling will be allowed to ride only with the approval of the Watch Commander.  Priority will always be given to persons with a scheduled appointment.  If the Watch Commander approves the ride-along, they shall have the appropriate information entered in the Ride-Along Book.

Number of Ride-Along Observers

Ride-Along observers shall be limited to three per shift for Day and PM shifts, and two per shift for EM shift.

Restrictions

Both male and female observers are authorized.  Female observers 18 years and over shall be permitted to ride on the same basis as males.  Females under 18 years of age will ride with the Field Sergeant or be assigned to a two-person unit.  The minimum age for observers shall be 16 years of age.  Observers under the age of 18 years, including Explorers, will not be assigned to ride after 2300 hours. Observers shall be required to submit a Ride-Along Waiver (Sh-AD-173), signed by the observer if he or she is 18 years of age or older. Those under the age of 18 must have the waiver signed by a parent or guardian.  The signature must be witnessed by a member of the Department.  All signed wavers will be forwarded to community relations, where an electronic copy will be scanned and placed into the shared files.  A hard copy shall remain in the community relations office file for a period of two years.

A deputy's close relative shall not ride with the related deputy where strong emotional ties could influence actions in a critical situation.  Persons with whom a deputy has or has had a dating relationship shall not ride with that deputy. The shift Watch Commander shall be notified of all civilian Ride-Alongs, and the shift in-service shall reflect the Ride-Alongs name assigned to the host deputy.

Persons who participated in other Sheriff's Station Ride-Alongs and/or have been observers at this station in the past will not be allowed to ride again within the calendar year.  Exceptions will be at the discretion of the Watch Commander.

Conduct of Observers

Observers shall be issued and wear the observer's badge.  The observer will give his or her driver's license or other valid identification to the host deputy.  The deputy will place the identification in the Watch Sergeant's Office and obtain the observer badge.  If the character of the observer is questionable, a wants check should be run.  The observer's identification will be returned upon surrender of the observer's badge.

Observers are never authorized to handle weapons, operate Sheriff's equipment, or converse with, or handle, prisoners except in the event of an extreme emergency.  During booking, the observer will not enter the booking area.  He or she will be escorted to the station kitchen or other suitable location within the station.

If, in the opinion of the host deputy, an observer's conduct is such that they present a danger to themselves or Departmental personnel, the observer's ride may be immediately terminated, and the observer returned to the station.  The Watch Commander shall then be consulted and will determine if the observer's ride should continue or be terminated.  In the event the ride must be terminated, the Watch Commander shall cause a memorandum to be submitted to the Unit Commander, explaining the circumstances.