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ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE GENERAL ORDER Effective Date : April 4, 2025  Amends - GO 6.2.20 ( November 6, 2019 ) Number : 6.2.20 Distribution: All Personnel Review Month: November Reviewing Authority: UPD / Division Commander Subject: Ride Along This order consists of the following: 1. Purpose 2. Policy 3. Procedures 1. Purpose The purpose of this policy is to establish procedures whereby civilian personnel can ride along with uniformed Orange County Sheriff's Office Deputy Sheriffs. A civilian riding with Deputy Sheriffs, while the Deputy is on duty, enables them to get a real life perspective of what law enforcement is all about. 2. Policy A. While participating in the program the rider must obey any lawful order, direction or instruction from the deputy and shall remain in the agency vehicle unless otherwise directed. B. All riders are under the command and control of the Deputy they are riding with. C. All riders must follow the agency rules, regulations, policies and procedures. D. No rider shall take any enforcement action without the consent of the Deputy they are ridin g with. E. No uniforms of any type will be worn by riders. This includes Oran ge County Sheriff's Office P SO uniforms, Explorer uniforms, Corrections unifor ms, etc. Law enforcement officers from other agencies shall not be permitted to wear uniforms. This does not apply to Orange County Sheriff's Office Reserve or Auxiliary Deputies . F. All civilian riders not employed by the agency (i.e., non -agency civilians) shall have completed the required CJIS online security training prior to the Ride Along. This training certificate is valid for one (1) year. Agency civilian employees and volunteers shall also have CJIS security training prior to the Ride Along . This security training is required by the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Security Policy due to the civilian riders having the ability to view criminal justice information while inside the agency vehicle. G. Failure to comply with (A) through (F) above will re sult in the immediate termination of the ride. 3. Procedures A. Requirements for Non-Agency Civilians The Ride Along Program is open to all non-agenc y civilians who meet the following requirements : 1. At least 18 (eighteen) years of age 2. Completion of the Ride Along Program A pplication 3. Completion of Ride Along Program Release Agreement 4. Completion of the required CJIS online security training 5. No pending felony charge s or felony convictions 6. No pending misdemeanor charges or misdemeanor convictions 7. Failure to disclose any and all pending criminal charges or arrests will automatically disqualify applicant from participating in the Ride Along Program. B. Requirements for Civilian Agency Employees and Volunteers The Ride Along program is open to all civilian agency employees and volunteers (includes Chaplains and Explorers ) who meet the following requirements: 1. At least 18 (eighteen) years of age 2. Completion of the Authorization to Ride Along for Agency Civilian Employees or Volunteers form by supervisor 3. Completion of the required CJIS online security training , at a minimum. 4. No pending criminal charges or internal Professional Standards investigat ions C. Limitations The following limitations are placed on the Ride Along Program. 1. Civilian a gency employees and volunteers are permitted to ride only one time per month with the permission of their supervisor. 2. Non-agency civilians shall be permitted to ride one time per year. The only exceptions to this will be civilians riding with the Watch Commander(s) and/or civilians app roved by the Sector Captain(s) or by the Office of the Sheriff. 3. Civilian riders shall be limited to two per squad per shift and will ride on a first come first served basis. 4. Current Orange County Sheriff’s Office academy sponsorship and certified applicants shall receive priority for Ride Along opportunities in Sectors I, II, III, and IV. 5. Civilian riders must be approved by agency personnel holding the rank of 6.2.20, Page 3 of 4 Sergeant or above. 6. The approved dress attire for all civilian rider s will be business casual (no t - shirts, shorts, pants with holes, revealing attire, sandals, backless or thong type shoes, etc.). 7. No firearms or any weapons of any type will be carried by any rider . 8. Parents, spouses, children, and boyfriends/girlfriends shall not be allowed to ride on the same squad with their counter -parts. 9. Non-agency civilian riders shall not be permitted to attend the shift briefings. 10. Uniform Patrol Division supervisors have the authority to refuse any rider if appearance or attitude is unacceptable. D. Procedures for Non-Agency Civilians 1. Complete the Ride Along Program Application and return it to the Sector Police Service Officer ( PSO ) where the non -agency civilian rider wishes to ride. 2. The Sector PSO will review the application and conduct a criminal history o f the applicant. If the review reveals anything unacceptable that may disqualify the applicant, the PSO shall proceed to the next step . If the review is acceptable, the Sector PSO will contact the CJIS Online Administ rator who will create a CJIS Online Security account for the applicant . The CJIS Online