G.O. 5.19 - Transporting Citizens

Purpose

• Establishes clear, department‐wide guidance for any situation in which a civilian (or non-NPD sworn officer) is transported in a Norwich Police Department (NPD) vehicle.
• Core objectives:
  • Mitigate legal liability and physical hazards.
  • Standardize authorization, documentation, and safety protocols.
  • Strengthen community relations through the Ride-Along Program.
  • Fulfill CT Police Officer Standards & Training Council (POSTC) accreditation requirement $1.7.16$ ("Transporting members of the public").

Policy Statement

• Riding in or operating an NPD vehicle is a privilege tightly controlled to limit risk.
• Default stance: NO civilian ride unless it falls squarely within the enumerated exceptions or receives explicit approval from the Chief of Police (or designee).
• Violation of this Order = administrative discipline; criminal/civil penalties derive only from statute or court.

Authorized Passengers (Section III A)

• Sworn NPD officers (on/off duty)
  • May drive or ride without extra paperwork.
• Sworn officers from other jurisdictions (on duty)
  • May ride when activity is job-related; no form required.
• NPD civilian employees, volunteers, chaplains (on duty)
  • Free to ride while performing assigned tasks.
• Off-duty sworn officers / federal agents / etc. from other agencies
  • Must submit a Ride-Along Request Form and secure shift-supervisor authorization.
  • Exempt from the standard $30$-day interval cap applied to citizens’ ride-alongs.
  • Strictly barred from intervening in incidents unless the hosting NPD officer faces imminent danger.
• Citizens (general public)
  • Eligible only via the structured Ride-Along Program ⇒ see Section C.
• Civilians transported for police-duty necessity
  • Examples: disabled motorist, DV victim needing safe haven.
  • Allowed without Chief’s pre-authorization BUT only “as long as necessity exists.”
• Family members of NPD officers
  • May be transported when directly supervised by the relative-officer (does NOT equal Ride-Along Program).
• Absolute prohibition
  • Any other civilian requires explicit Chief/designee approval citing “unusual circumstances.”
• Dress code for non-duty passengers (excludes emergency transports):
  • Minimum = conservative business-casual.
  • NOT permitted: T-shirts, jeans, sweats, gym shoes.
• Transporting members of opposite sex (non-employees/family/ride-along)
  • Mandatory radio log: start mileage, time, origin, destination ⇒ end mileage, time, status.
  • CAD entry generated to create auditable record.

Waiver Requirement (Section III B)

• General principle: No waiver, no ride.
• "Release of All Claims" (Ride-Along Waiver) must be notarized & signed by Chief/designee EXCEPT for:
  1. NPD employees.
  2. Civilians transported under immediate police function (e.g.
     protective escort).
• Validity = $120$ days from Chief’s signature ⇒ fresh waiver after expiry.
• Assignment chain: Training Sergeant / Administrative Lt. / on-duty Shift Supervisor pairs rider with officer.
• Documentation: Assigned officer files an Offense Report (OF) logging rider’s name, time frame, & calls.

Ride-Along Program (Section III C)

• Mission: public‐relations, transparency, citizen education.

Eligibility & Pre-Ride Requirements

• Minimum age $=18\,\text{yrs}$ with valid government ID.
• NCIC / in-house / license / warrant checks ⇒ must return negative.
• Waiver signed + on-person during ride.
• Chief retains absolute veto/approval power over each request.

Prohibitions & Equipment

• Zero-tolerance for alcohol / controlled-substance impairment pre-ride.
• No weapons unless Chief grants explicit approval.
• Mandatory body armor (ballistic vest) for the entire ride.

Dress Code

• Business-casual:
  • Plain collared sport/dress shirt.
  • No jeans.
  • No brand advertising or offensive artwork.
  • No law-enforcement logos unless participant is legitimately sworn & authorized.
• Shift Supervisor may cancel ride based on appearance.

Conduct Rules During Ride

• Participants = passive observers only; involvement requires express officer permission.
• Officer responsibilities:
  1. Verify seat-belt use the whole time.
  2. NEVER transport prisoners in same vehicle with ride-along.
  3. Redo ID/warrant checks before departure (belt-and-suspenders approach).
  4. Brief participant on observer status & safety expectations.

Emergency‐Call Protocol

• Options when officer receives a high-risk call:
  1. Keep participant inside locked cruiser.
  2. Drop participant at a secure site (station, govt. bldg., etc.) and notify dispatch of location.

Supervisor Duties

• Ensure waiver completed & lists exact date/time window.
• Select suitable officer (preferably same-gender match when feasible).
• Direct OF report completion at ride’s conclusion.
• Collect all paperwork, attach case label, forward to Records.

Passenger Safety Restraints (Section III D)

• Universal seat-belt rule: ALL occupants, all seats, all ages.
• Child-specific standards (mirrors CT law):
  1. Child < $6\,\text{yrs}$ OR ≤ $60\,\text{lb}$ ⇒ must ride in an approved safety seat.
  • Officer retrieves seat from HQ; installs in rear seat.
  1. Child < $16\,\text{yrs}$ AND > $60\,\text{lb}$ ⇒ rear seat; secured by either a child seat or integrated belt/shoulder harness.
• Vehicles with rear video camera:
  • Non-members seat ONLY in rear when camera mount would endanger front-seat passenger.

Practical & Ethical Considerations

• Risk Management
  • Mileage/time logging for opposite-sex transports guards against misconduct allegations.
  • $120$-day waiver window minimizes stale liability consents.
• Community Trust
  • Structured Ride-Along fosters transparency, demystifies policing, and satisfies community‐policing best practices.
• Officer Safety vs. Public Engagement
  • Body-armor requirement balances inviting civilians into patrol environment while acknowledging inherent risks.
• Equal‐Treatment Principle
  • Clearly articulated clothing, conduct, and age rules apply to all participants, reinforcing impartiality.
• Data Integrity
  • CAD entries, OF reports, and Records submission create an auditable paper trail ⇒ vital for POSTC audits and civil defense.

Quick Reference / Checklist for Field Use

• BEFORE TRANSPORT
  • Identify passenger category (Employee | Officer | Citizen | Necessity | Family | Other).
  • If waiver required ⇒ confirm notarization + Chief signature (< $120$ days old).
  • Verify dress code & body armor (Ride-Along only).
  • Run NCIC/license/in-house checks for citizens.
  • Radio/start mileage/time if opposite-sex civilian (non-ride-along).
• DURING TRANSPORT
  • Seat-belt every occupant; proper child seat if applicable.
  • No prisoner + ride-along in same unit.
• EMERGENCY CALL
  • Option A: keep rider secured in vehicle.
  • Option B: drop at secure location & advise dispatch.
• AFTER TRANSPORT
  • End mileage/time radio log (if required).
  • Complete Offense Report; attach waiver & paperwork.
  • Submit packet to Records via case label.

Key Numbers & Time Frames

• $30$-day: citizen ride-along interval cap (off-duty officers exempt).
• $120$-days: waiver validity.
• $18$-yrs: minimum age to ride.
• $6$-yrs / $60$-lb: child‐seat trigger.
• $16$-yrs: threshold for belt/harness vs. child seat (if > $60$ lb).

Cross-Lecture / Real-World Links

• Mirrors national "Ride-Along" policies emphasizing transparency (compare LAPD, NYPD programs).
• Aligns with Connecticut child-passenger‐safety statutes (CGS §14-100a).
• Addresses ethical duty of care (police as custodians of civilian safety while balancing public access).
• Supports POSTC accreditation: documentation & risk-reduction essential to maintain good standing.