Ride Along

[slayer55]

Hi I am 20 and I am planning on applying in 6 months with a local PD but I am trying to get a ride along with an agency first. I know of a few PD's that will do it but I would prefer a ride along with a leo calgunner because I know there will be a few things in common compared to not having anything in common. I am located in Fontana, CA in san bernadino county I had a fellow calgunner who did a trade with my father offer a ride along and then never came through. So i was wondering if any Calgun Leos would like to offer a ride along?

Thank you for your time

[Tacit Blue]

Due to anonymity reasons, some Officers/Deputies don't feel comfortable doing that. Unless they feel comfortable doing that, so don't get upset. But i would try to get one through the 'normal channels' if you can.

Usually they are reserved for college students and applicants or current employees. Hope this helps. They will ask what the reason your wanting to ride-along for is, make it seem legit and articulated. Not just " I want to be a cop".


When i did mine, the agency i rode with was very prompt and responsive getting me mine. I was luckly to get paired up with a Officer who was 26, and i'm 23 so we both clicked and got along. I had a great time, went to take some Women to the pysch ward to be 5150'd ( that was interesting to say that least) Then we had a traffic collision down the road, and i was allowed to enter a home when a search warrant was being served with the Sheriff's. Juvenile with a stolen pistol, did traffic stops etc.

[slayer55]

i am currently in school for criminal justice i understand some officer's may be hesitant about offering a ride along maybe they can suggest some good agency's to go with ex pomona pd, fontana, and so on i am just trying to find a good department that won't give me the run around and make it a month before i can go.

[TheExpertish]

Ride with the agency's you want to apply with. It'll give you an idea if you even want to work for that city. An agency will be more likely to give you a ride-along if you say you are considering applying. Best is to call or stop by during office hours and speak to a watch commander. For most departments you'll need one of their approvals anyway.

Are you going for your bachelors or AA in criminal justice? Are you looking to put yourself through the academy or get hired and put through?

[slayer55]

AA in criminal justice for the time being. Later on though i want my bachelors. my conselor at the school is a reserve officer who said to try to be hired by a sheriff's department and then try to transfer to another department after, before I put myself through an academy. I was going to try to put myself through but he said that most academys will only take u if your 21 but the departments will take you at 20 and 1/2 so thats why I am looking to just apply first.

[slayer55]

I can't ride with the city I want to apply for they will only take me once i am a cadet

[Dave Sauer]

May I offer some unsolicited career advice to a young person wanting to be a cop. First, good job working on a degree. But, get it in anything other than criminal justice. A CJ degree marks you as a "wannabe" and does nothing to prepare you for the job. You will learn all you need in the academy and OTJ. You want a degree in a fall back subject that gives you a broader perspective on the world. By fall back I mean one that you could teach or offers another career should you get hurt on the job or otherwise cannot work in LE anymore. I always cringe when I hear of someone getting a CJ degree...it is a waste of money and time. Anyway, kep reaching for your goals, you'll make it.

[jaysen]

May I offer some unsolicited career advice to a young person wanting to be a cop. First, good job working on a degree. But, get it in anything other than criminal justice. A CJ degree marks you as a "wannabe" and does nothing to prepare you for the job. You will learn all you need in the academy and OTJ. You want a degree in a fall back subject that gives you a broader perspective on the world. By fall back I mean one that you could teach or offers another career should you get hurt on the job or otherwise cannot work in LE anymore. I always cringe when I hear of someone getting a CJ degree...it is a waste of money and time. Anyway, kep reaching for your goals, you'll make it.

^ this...

Dave offered some good advice... If you're one or two classes short of your degree might as well finish it off. If you've just started or less than half way through highly consider switching. Biggest mistake I ever made was wasting my time with CJ courses. Good examples of alternatives; Business administration w/ emphasis on retail management (highly desirable should you get hired and decide to promote), poly sci (yuck, but it helps)... etc.

As for cities to ride with go with an agency you'd consider applying with. Ontario I hear is a great department. Fontana, Pomona, Rialto, San Berdoo PD, and Riverside PD all rockin cities but unsure as to their policies re: riders. When I was processing with Pomona they had no problem allowing me to do ride alongs, difference is I was an applicant and in the academy.

As someone else stated, go through your normal "channels" on obtaining a ride, seems a little awkward fishing for someone here.. I'd be especially weary considering the amount of anti-leo bashing going on in the other forums and the strange influx of OIS's lately - call me paranoid?

I know my city specifically states you must be an applicant however they do make exceptions from time to time w/ AJ (yuck) kids in college whose professor happens to be our retired CAPT.

Call or walk in (latter is best IMO) an agency your looking to ride with, explain to them your situation, and ask if you can ride - worst case scenario they say No.

As for the question RE: agencies hiring at 20 or 20 1/2 - I put myself through Rio Hondo at 20 1/2 graduated 6 days after my 21st bday and hired at 21. It's possible different departments have different standards. Pomona turned me down because of my age. Spoke to the BG investigator "off the record" and told me only thing kept me from being hired was my age. The median at the time, and last I checked, was 27-29... Pomona is a rockin city, and needs people with lots of "Life" experience who are confident - very hard to come by in a 21 yr old..

[TheExpertish]

I went through Palomar and our youngest in my class was 19 almost 20. He got hired with SDSO. I concur with finding some other major. Business or something similar will help greatly with promotions, but if you're close enough just wrap up what you have and get your bachelors. Everyone I've talked to, professors, counselors, business execs, all say an AA is pretty much worthless in the real world.

[retired]

AA in criminal justice for the time being. Later on though i want my bachelors. my conselor at the school is a reserve officer who said to try to be hired by a sheriff's department and then try to transfer to another department after, before I put myself through an academy. I was going to try to put myself through but he said that most academys will only take u if your 21 but the departments will take you at 20 and 1/2 so thats why I am looking to just apply first.

First of all, if you have been hired by a sheriff's dept., you would probably be going thru their academy, so you don't have to put yourself thru one. You would also be paid while going thru the academy.

I may be interpreting this incorrectly, but it sounds like the reserve's is advising you to let the sheriff's dept. spend a lot of money and time testing and doing a detailed backround check on you and then once hired, transfer to another dept. immediately afterward. That does not sound like good ethical advice.

Also, if you were to do that, I would be surprised if the other dept. doesn't do a detailed backround check on you also. They may also wonder if you will do the same to them when a better position comes up.

Did he say why he recommends not working for a sheriff's dept. True, you may have a long period of time working custody, but it actually is a good position to work for a year or two when you are new. Admittedly, most spend more than 2 years working custody prior to go to patrol.

Working around those inmates is an excellent way to learn how criminals think and act. Many of them will explain in great detail how they did what they did. If for no other reason, you will learn how not to get easily conned.

[BLOWN RAIDER]

Are agency's still hiring guys who are 20 going on 21? Seems like theres a lot of laid off LEO that would get first dibs on any open positions who have already been thorugh the background, training, experience, etc. Why would an agancy waste time and money going through all those things if they can just pick up somebody who has recently been laid off?

[RollingCode3]

Here is my two cents.

Major in something else beside CJ

Join the military.

21 is way too young to become a cop. Most departments will not hire you especially in this crappy economy.

Volunteer/ build up your resume

Keep your nose clean

Good luck!

[Ron-Solo]

+1 on joining the military right now. Hiring is really tough, especially at your age. I started at 22, but that was a loooong time ago.

The military will give you veterans points toward getting hired, and solid experience toward life. Plus, you get the pride that goes along with it. A good, CLEAN military record will show you have the maturity to handle the job.

A degree in business or human resources will help you more than criminal justice.

Volunteer service in the community also helps. Law enforcement agencies are looking for well rounded individuals that can handle life's little issues

Best of luck!

[slayer55]

I have 8 years volunteer service with the American Red Cross, my conselor said that academy's won't take me any younger then 21 if i want to pay my way through it. To apply at the sheriff's department because they hire at 20 and he said LA County Sheriffs just said they were going to hire 700 deputies by 2014. All the local agencies around me won't take me for a ride along because i am not a cadet they said but I know forsure Pomona will do it but the past two times i called i couldn't get the right information on where to go to fill out the paper work. I am also getting a minor in paralegal as my fall back top of my class so far.

[TheExpertish]

I have 8 years volunteer service with the American Red Cross, my conselor said that academy's won't take me any younger then 21 if i want to pay my way through it. To apply at the sheriff's department because they hire at 20 and he said LA County Sheriffs just said they were going to hire 700 deputies by 2014. All the local agencies around me won't take me for a ride along because i am not a cadet they said but I know forsure Pomona will do it but the past two times i called i couldn't get the right information on where to go to fill out the paper work. I am also getting a minor in paralegal as my fall back top of my class so far.

Find a different college. What do you do for the Red Cross? As a volunteer, anything helps. I would still side with the guys who say to join the service. I wish I had when I was younger. Would have helped me alot in my LE career. Many Sheriff's departments are hiring at 18 for the jails, but that was before the recession. Keep in mind the 700 deputies they will hire will include laterals. Again, for a ride along stop by during office hours and speak to a watch commander.