Ride Alongs

[DsWife]

Hi All,

Do you recommend going on ride-alongs as an asset in the application process or just an activity of interest or to confirm that this is really the job for you? I would think it would give you insights to draw from during the interviews and what not but does stuff like that ever come up?

Also, if you're applying for city police does it make a difference if your ride-alongs are with RCMP? Is there a big difference in procedures and the way things go in general or would it be just as beneficial?

Another thing...my husband has applied to volunteer with our community police office and it should be about a 6 month process before they let him in since they do A LOT of interviewing and background checking before hand. Is applying to go on a ride-along a long process also or does the RCMP generally just let you come along if you're not a known criminal?

Thanks for whatever insights you can offer,
D's Wife

[guest]

I have been on ride alongs with both CPS and Strathmore RCMP.

I don't think they really help you in the process. I have interviewed with both and I don't recall ever being asked if I had been on ride alongs. I also don't recall them ever being brought up in the course of the interviews either.

However they are excellent for getting a taste of what the job entails. That taste never leaves your mouth.

RCMP ridealongs are typically pretty mundane. Depends on the night and the town. Nothing hapened during mine. Handed out supeanas (?),checkouted a broke down car, and followed on car leaving a bar to see if they might be drunk (no stop). Bad night I guess for me, good night for the cops.

My two CPS ride alongs were pretty unreal. Well one anyways. Domestic disturbance call, home break in in progress with guns drawn, vehicle accident, rushing 140kph down Memorial to a 911 hang up call, running a plate to find the guy was wanted by the FBI and staking out a bar until he came out to bust him, you name it. Mind you a second CPS ride along resulted in spending the whole night in the hospital ER with some twit that got in a domestic disturbance and cut herself with a knife. 8 hours of watching doctors. Mind you she was drunk so they never froze her as a sort of punishment/wake up.

Definately try to get in some ride alongs with the nearest large muni force if possible especially since your hubby is thinking of going CPS. Hope this helps.

[guest2]

Definitely just an activity of interest to confirm that it is really what you want to do. Not a long process but you do have to sign your life away... just incase something happens.

Drawing from your experience on "ride-a-longs" during an interview would not be a good thing.

[horn 15]

If you are going to go on a ride Along. Ask that you ride with someone fairly new. When I joined I went on a ride along with someone who had recently been through training and all of the interviews. He was a wealth of knowledge on what it was like training, starting out at your new posting, etc. Just a thought.

[journey2cps-redux]

I agree with what Horn said. The nice thing with CPS ride alongs is that they really TRY to get you with someone new so that you can get relevant answers to your questions...plus they don't want to put you with someone who is really bitter at things and trying to apply to mounties or something, you might end up applying to them!!! ;D

[Ds Wife]

My husband has found out that our local RCMP dosen't offer ride-alongs unless you are in the application process with the RCMP. Is this standard for RCMP across the board do you think or just our local detachment? He has a call into a local municipal force and he's hoping he dosen't hear the same answer since he's not applying with them either. Trouble with living in another province I guess, riding along with CPS is really out of the question .

[crappydk21]

funnily enough I called one of the detachments and asked that very thing. I am in the background process right now as well as being involved on the volunteer side of the community policing and I was told that I have to wait until I get an actual date for depot. I am from E division.

[DaGuest]

Actually, I got one even though I don't yet have a date. I think with some of them, as long as you're in the background investigation stage it's ok...

From my experiences it varies by detatchment.

[Impy]

Ride along policies seem to vary dramatically according to who you are talking to and their relative mood at the time. It is very hit and miss by cold-calling a detachment. Your best bet is to go through somebody you know (even if they are stationed in Nunavut, a member can make sure you get a ride along in Surrey).

[RyanSales]

Just my $0.02 on this topic.

1. Ride alongs are excellent as an applicant. You don't want to concentrate on it too much, but when you are in the interview, if you make mention of it, it shows the interviewer that you have taken an active interest in the job.

2. Some people go through their complete training without EVER having been exposed to what it's REALLY like on the street. Ride-alongs can give you a taste as to what the job is really like. Then again, most members don't do paperwork when they have a ride-along, so maybe it's a bit unrealistic!

3. Ride-along policies vary by detachment. Depends on manpower, policy, the season, etc.

4. The "quality" of the ride-along depends on 2 main factors. a. What calls come in that night and b. who you do the ride along with. Some of us are more enthusiastic about ride-alongs...and look for cool things to do. Other members are really busy, and get forced to do them. As well, CPS has QUIET nights too....so while some locations have a higher probability of action, it's a cracker jack box at best.

Cheers,
RY

[Ds Wife]

Well, it looks like a ride-along is just not going to happen for my husband. The RCMP only takes RCMP applicants in our area and the municipal forces won't call him back

For now he's really too busy anyway but it would have been something he was very interested in though.

D's Wife

[journey2cps-redux]

In order to get a ride along with CPS (I can't remember where you are?) you can either:

a) Ask your file manager and they will arrange it or
b) Talk to a Cst with CPS you know to hook you up. Cold calling for a ride along rarely works.

Speaking of which I'm doing another one with CPS on Sat. 1300-2300 ;D

[Ds Wife]

Thanks for the tips, although we're in BC so ride-alongs in Calgary would make things a bit time consuming ;D

However, good point on finding a Cst you know. We do know someone in Delta, maybe he could help set something up.

Side note....don't you have a baby due sometime soon Journey? I thought I remember reading your family was expecting in May. We have 6 wks (or so) here before our next baby is due so I'm really hoping my husband gets a call from CPS soon and we can arrange interview dates so that it won't fall too close to the end of May .

D's Wife

[journey2cps-redux]

Yep, my second one is coming on May 10th (planned C-Sec.) Should be a little girl, and I have a 3 year old son right now.

[highroller]

I know I'm continueing off topic, but congradulations to the both of you in advance.