• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

Sheriff's Deputy Ride Along Saturday Night!

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
Howdy Folks!
I've mentioned elsewhere that I'd be doing a ride along with a sheriff's deputy Saturday night.
The tour started at 5:00pm and ended around 3:00am!

It started out with me being led to the squad room for the pre-shift briefing. They discussed issues happening in their patrol areas.

Once that was out of the way, we headed out to the squad cars to being our patrol. The deputy to whom I was assigned was a nice young man who was very friendly and informative. I learned a great deal from him as we spent the night together on patrol.

Somewhere along the line, the deputy asked if dead bodies were a problem for me, and I said no. As it turned out, we did go to the scene of two different fatalities. One was the result of a traffic accident, and the other evidently simply died of natural causes.

I'd forgotten what juices flow when you're racing to the scene of an emergency call with lights and sirens going while travelling 90 MPH across town. This was on interstate highway, but the young deputy certainly know how to put the spurs to his car!

During the shift, we showed up for 1 possible domestic violence, took one individual to the detox center, did a traffic stop for loud muffler and no tail lights, took one guy to a holding cell to charge him with obstruction, went to the scene of a fight (got there and could not see anybody), dealt with a bunch of neighbors complaining that a nearby resident was firing a flame thrower, and a whole bunch of other stuff. The big deal of the night was a shooting incident at an apartment complex. There were other incidents during the shift but I've mentioned the more exciting ones.

On each stop, I was encouraged to come along with the deputy as he responded to calls, including leaving the vehicle in most cases. The only time he had me to stay in the car was the traffic stop early in the evening, and the call about a fight that we couldn't seem to find any evidence of when we got there. Aside from those two incidents, I was out of the car and right there with the deputies.

After the deputy let me out at the substation, I put my pistol back on my hip. I wasn't allowed to carry on patrol, and I can understand why. But once the shift was done, I slapped my Ruger P94 back on my belt before heading home. Since I was parched something notorious, I stopped at a 7-11 to get a soda pop. When I pulled in, a Commerce City police car was parked in the lot with nobody in it. I haven't OC'd yet in Commerce City, but decided this was as good a time as any. I walked in and immediately saw the officer coming at me armed with a cup of Joe. I gave him a friendly "howdy" and went to the coolers to fetch me a soda. When I came back to the counter, the officer had left the store, but I could see him standing outside the window. I figured he might be waiting for me, so I paid for my soda and stepped outside. I chatted with him briefly, and nothing was said about my openly carried firearm.

I do not wish to elaborate on any of the events of that night, because I believe it would be inappropriate to do so on a public forum. What I will say is that it was an amazing evening and the deputy comported himself with a great deal of professionalism and courtesy. I learned a great deal from him and from the experience itself. Perhaps one day I'll give it another go.

During the ride along, I asked him how he regarded me as a companion for the evening. I hoped I wasn't making him feel like he was my chaperone or anything like that. He told me I was just fine. "I had one guy ride along, and he kept singing to me. I suddenly remembered I had a lot of paperwork to catch up on and that was the end of his ride!" He said.

I was not exposed to any danger to my person during the 10 hour tour, and was accorded respect and dignity throughout the ride. It was something I'll think on for awhile, and may do again one day.

Most police departments accomodate citizen requests for ride alongs for citizens of their jurisdiction. They very much want citizens to know about their department and their mission. I'd encourage anybody interested in this sort of experience to contact their LEA and ask about taking a ride along with an officer. You may be surprised what you could learn.

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 
Last edited:

PikesPeakMtnMan

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Messages
425
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
Glad you had fun on your ride along...when I did mine it was MUCH less interesting. A lot of noise complaints on loud parties but really nothing else. It is cool running lights and siren across town. When I was on my ride along the officer said he would try and get a Code 3 call so he run hot, and then I told him I'd been a firefighter for 10 years and running lights and siren had lost its "coolness" factor...he seemed a little bummed out.
 

mahkagari

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
Messages
1,186
Location
, ,
.

During the shift, we showed up for 1 possible domestic violence, took one individual to the detox center, did a traffic stop for loud muffler and no tail lights, took one guy to a holding cell to charge him with obstruction, went to the scene of a fight (got there and could not see anybody), dealt with a bunch of neighbors complaining that a nearby resident was firing a flame thrower, and a whole bunch of other stuff. The big deal of the night was a shooting incident at an apartment complex. There were other incidents during the shift but I've mentioned the more exciting ones.

On each stop, I was encouraged to come along with the deputy as he responded to calls, including leaving the vehicle in most cases. The only time he had me to stay in the car was the traffic stop early in the evening, and the call about a fight that we couldn't seem to find any evidence of when we got there. Aside from those two incidents, I was out of the car and right there with the deputies.

After the deputy let me out at the substation, I put my pistol back on my hip. I wasn't allowed to carry on patrol, and I can understand why.

OOC, did they give you a vest? There's been a bit of talk about OCing by civilians on ride alongs. But OCing a weapon is not a magical forcefield. If something gets hairy, you're scores more likely to benefit from the vest IMO.
 

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
OOC, did they give you a vest? There's been a bit of talk about OCing by civilians on ride alongs. But OCing a weapon is not a magical forcefield. If something gets hairy, you're scores more likely to benefit from the vest IMO.

Howdy Mahkagari!
Nope. No vest. Just me and my little Irish skin hanging out on this ride.
I wasn't allowed to carry my handgun, and that sorta bummed me out.
But most of the night, I was pretty darn safe what with all them deputies around.
I figure the odds of me getting in trouble were pretty slim.

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
You said to Make sure the Radar gun was operating? Really? But ONLY if he sees a black CORVETTE!

Howdy Pard!
Nobody uses radar any more. It's all about lasers now.
Besides, you got any idea how many cops got testicular cancer because they'd rest that radar gun in their lap?
That technology was okay, so long as you didn't set it in your lap. But it had definate drawbacks.

Among them was the beam it sent out. A laser sends a beam pinpoint to the target. The beam doesn't expand as it travels. The radar gun sends out a beam that spreads out like a flashlight beam. It was imprecise. Beyond 25 yards, it would try to read any and every car on a 4 lane roadway. In addition, it had to be electronically recalibrated every two months. Seldom did they get those electronic inspections. A tuning fork can be used for day to day calibration, but they just gotta get it done electronically every two months. How often, do you suppose, cops would forget to do that little chore? So the first question a motorist might ask is "May I see your certificate of electronic calibration?" And if it was out of date, it wouldn't stand up in court. Also, being a radio frequency device, it had to be listed on the police department's FCC license. Since departments buy, sell and trade gear all the time, it could get overlooked that it needed to be listed on the FCC license. If it wasn't listed, it couldn't stand up in court.

Lasers have plenty of advantages over radar, and that's why they are now in vogue. I don't know any jurisdiction around these parts that still messes with radar.

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

JoeSparky

Centurion
Joined
Jun 20, 2008
Messages
3,621
Location
Pleasant Grove, Utah, USA
Howdy Pard!
Nobody uses radar any more. It's all about lasers now.
Besides, you got any idea how many cops got testicular cancer because they'd rest that radar gun in their lap?
That technology was okay, so long as you didn't set it in your lap. But it had definate drawbacks.

Among them was the beam it sent out. A laser sends a beam pinpoint to the target. The beam doesn't expand as it travels. The radar gun sends out a beam that spreads out like a flashlight beam. It was imprecise. Beyond 25 yards, it would try to read any and every car on a 4 lane roadway. In addition, it had to be electronically recalibrated every two months. Seldom did they get those electronic inspections. A tuning fork can be used for day to day calibration, but they just gotta get it done electronically every two months. How often, do you suppose, cops would forget to do that little chore? So the first question a motorist might ask is "May I see your certificate of electronic calibration?" And if it was out of date, it wouldn't stand up in court. Also, being a radio frequency device, it had to be listed on the police department's FCC license. Since departments buy, sell and trade gear all the time, it could get overlooked that it needed to be listed on the FCC license. If it wasn't listed, it couldn't stand up in court.

Lasers have plenty of advantages over radar, and that's why they are now in vogue. I don't know any jurisdiction around these parts that still messes with radar.

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
Understood, MORE THAN YOU CARE TO KNOW!!!!!

Humor, Humor my friend! LOL
 

TheLittleMan

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2011
Messages
40
Location
Denver, Co
So I take it the officer didn't too many negative comments about OC either?
Overall it sounds like a good time. Maybe I'll do something like this one day.
 

Gunslinger

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2008
Messages
3,853
Location
Free, Colorado, USA
Howdy Pard!
Nobody uses radar any more. It's all about lasers now.
Besides, you got any idea how many cops got testicular cancer because they'd rest that radar gun in their lap?
That technology was okay, so long as you didn't set it in your lap. But it had definate drawbacks.

Among them was the beam it sent out. A laser sends a beam pinpoint to the target. The beam doesn't expand as it travels. The radar gun sends out a beam that spreads out like a flashlight beam. It was imprecise. Beyond 25 yards, it would try to read any and every car on a 4 lane roadway. In addition, it had to be electronically recalibrated every two months. Seldom did they get those electronic inspections. A tuning fork can be used for day to day calibration, but they just gotta get it done electronically every two months. How often, do you suppose, cops would forget to do that little chore? So the first question a motorist might ask is "May I see your certificate of electronic calibration?" And if it was out of date, it wouldn't stand up in court. Also, being a radio frequency device, it had to be listed on the police department's FCC license. Since departments buy, sell and trade gear all the time, it could get overlooked that it needed to be listed on the FCC license. If it wasn't listed, it couldn't stand up in court.

Lasers have plenty of advantages over radar, and that's why they are now in vogue. I don't know any jurisdiction around these parts that still messes with radar.

Blessings,
M-Taliesin

All still use radar. Laser has to be from a set location, there is no moving laser. It cannot be shot from behind a windscreen either, has to be in the open. Ka band is used by the state cops and El Paso + Springs cops. I've beaten tickets with radar many times in court. It picks the most likely target as the beam spreads out--30 degrees at 100 yards, not the fastest mover. If my Corvette was next to an Escalade, it would time the Caddy, not the Vette. Of course, it doesn't hurt that I can be certified as an expert on radar in court. Without a front plate, my Corvette cannot be picked up on laser beyond ~ 100'. Plenty of time for my Passport to go off...not that I speed, of course....
 
Top