Each year the Los Angeles Police Department receives thousands of requests to ride along with a police officer on patrol. Unfortunately, given limited personnel resources the Department must prioritize which of these requests it can grant. The general purpose of the ride-along is to educate the public and open up the lines of communication with the community, thus fostering an environment of mutual trust and respect.
The Department will attempt to comply with requests for ride-alongs from members of the community and other law enforcement organizations whenever practicable.
Note: All requests to ride in a police vehicle for the purpose of gathering information for published articles, and all requests from the media shall be referred to and coordinated with the Officer in Charge, Media Relations Section.
If you would like more information on completing a ride-along with the Los Angeles Police Department, please contact the commanding officer of your local Community Police Station.