The Citizen Ride-a-Long Program is intended to provide participants with a greater understanding of law enforcement activities within the Town of Batesburg-Leesville and participating Police Officers with a greater understanding of citizen needs and perspectives while promoting community collaboration.
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All participants must be at least 18 years of age and must have signed the Batesburg-Leesville Police Department waiver form.
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For minors under the age of 18 years of age to participate in the Ride-Along Program there must be at the request of a school official or parent or guardian for a specific purpose approved by the Chief of Police, and the parent of the minor must have signed the Batesburg-Leesville Police Department waiver form.
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The participant must have no felony convictions and no pending felony cases; however, misdemeanor convictions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
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An applicant who has a felony record or a misdemeanor record that involves moral turpitude or dishonesty related charges may be excluded from participation in the Citizen Ride-Along Program.
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The participant must have no physical or medical condition which may be worsened by participation in the Citizen Ride-Along Program.
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The participant must not have participated in the Ride-Along Program within the past six months.
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The participant shall be limited to no more than four (4) hours on the date of the scheduled Ride-Along, without the expressed approval of the Chief of Police.
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The Ride-Along Program application consists of three documents provided below.
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Once completed all three forms shall be forward to the designed Citizen Ride-Along Program Coordinator.
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After the application has been processed and approved, the applicant shall be notified and a date coordinated for the ride-along activity by the Ride-Along Program Coordinator.
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Citizen Ride-Along Program applicants will not be allowed to ride during the scheduled tour of duty of a Police Officer who is, in any way, related to the applicant by blood or marriage.
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Participants shall report to the Batesburg-Leesville Police Department approximately fifteen (15) minutes prior to their scheduled Ride-Along Program participation.
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Ride-along participants must provide a photo-identification for verification when they arrive for their scheduled ride-along.
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The host Police Officer shall be selected by the on-duty Patrol Supervisor and shall not be selected by the participant.
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During the ride-along, participants must conduct themselves in a businesslike manner.
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During calls for service, warrant service and traffic stops, participants shall not leave the patrol vehicle.
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A Ride-Along Program participant is an observer only, and will not, under any circumstances, and in any manner, become involved in any situation.
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Ride-Along Program participants may not interfere in any way with a Police Officer’s performance of duty.
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Ride-Along Program participants shall not speak to victims, witnesses, prisoners or other persons associated with a police incident.
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Ride-Along Program participants are expressly forbidden to carry any type of weapon.
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Ride-Along Program participants shall not be allowed to operate any police equipment.
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Ride-Along Program participants shall not photograph, video, or record in any way any aspect of the ride-along activity.
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Personal appearance of participants must be neat and clean, and only conservative clothing may be worn and subject to the approval of the on-duty Patrol Supervisor
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Ride-Along Program participants shall follow the instructions of the host Police Officer at all times during the ride-along activity.
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Failure to follow the instructions of the host Police Officer will result in the immediate discontinuation of the participant’s involvement in the Ride-Along Program and the possibility of the disqualification of future Ride-Along Program participation requests.