Ride Along
"Ride-Along" means to be an official passenger in a patrol vehicle, accompanying a police officer during part of a normal tour of duty. The primary purpose of a police Ride-Along is to provide an opportunity for the community to see firsthand the day-to-day workings of law enforcement in San Ramon. The Ride-Along guest gains insight into what it means to be a police officer. The Ride-Along program fosters a better understanding of the challenges, hazards and rewards of the police officer's role in the community and promotes a partnership between the community and law enforcement.
Other Ride-Along Goals
- to provide an opportunity for San Ramon residents to get to know their police officers
- to provide citizens interested in a career in law enforcement an opportunity to examine the job
- to educate the community about the responsibilities of police officers
- to educate the community about what to expect and why, if they need to call for police assistance
General Procedures
- Ride-Along requests must be submitted a minimum of two weeks prior to the requested Ride-Along date.
- No one shall ride until approval has been granted and a properly completed waiver has been signed.
- No observer will accompany the officer while transporting or booking prisoners.
- At no time shall an officer, while accompanied by an observer, engage in pursuit driving, respond to a violent crime in progress, or perform a felony traffic stop, unless they deposit the observer at a safe location.
- A background check shall be conducted of the potential Ride-Along candidate.
- Ride-Along participants are permitted to ride Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. or Friday through Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. or 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
How do you sign up for a Ride-Along?
You must complete and sign an application form and return it to the San Ramon Police Department. As an applicant for San Ramon's Ride-Along program, you must authorize the Police Department to conduct a background investigation to determine your eligibility. All information is confidential as required by California and Federal statutes.
The following are requirements for being considered for San Ramon's Ride-Along Program:
- You must be either a San Ramon resident, student or work in San Ramon;
- Residents 16 years of age and older may participate in the Ride Along program;
- The applicant must not have participated in a Ride-Along for the past six months;
- No Ride-Along participant will be allowed to ride while carrying a firearm, unless the participant is currently a certified active police officer with another jurisdiction in the State of California.
The Ride-Along participant must agree to abide by the following rules of conduct:
- All candidates must read and sign a Ride Along waiver; minors must have the waiver signed form by a parent or guardian.
- Observers shall, at all times, remain under the complete control of the assigned officer and comply with all directions.
- Observers shall not interfere with investigations in any way by conversing with victims, suspects, or witnesses; observers must not become physically or verbally involved in any incident.
- The observer must be of good character, not likely to endanger the safety of the public or the officer.
- The participants attire must be neat, clean and conservative. The observer shall not wear any type of clothing, jacket, or baseball cap with a logo that might suggest the he or she was a police officer.
- No alcoholic beverages on breath or consumption of same while participating in the Ride-Along program.
- All cameras and recording devices are prohibited.
- The observer shall be in good health. No persons with severe colds or illnesses will be permitted to Ride-Along.
- Observers must remain in the patrol car at all times unless told to do otherwise by the host officer.
- Observers must wear a seat belt when the vehicle is in motion.
- In the event of a serious situation, the officer will ask you to wait in a secure and safe place.
- Any information overheard regarding a criminal investigation is confidential in nature and the observer shall not discuss that information with anyone.
- To receive an application or for further information, contact the San Ramon Police Department at (925) 973-2700
- You may download a Ride-Along application (pdf) by clicking here.