Peoria police building relationships through ride-alongs | News

The Peoria Police Department is inviting the community to participate in its ride-along program. 

Residents will get the chance to travel around the city with an officer and experience the “unpredictable” and “engaging” nature of public safety. 

“It’s a great opportunity for our citizens and our community members to see what we go through on a daily basis,” said Kristopher Babros, public information officer for the Peoria Police Department. “Your whole perspective of our police department and police officers will change once somebody comes in and does a ride-along.”

After an application and background check, residents are eligible to participate in a full 10-hour shift or a swing shift — 1 to 11 p.m. — with an officer and see the day-to-day responsibilities the Peoria Police Department has. 

The program comes from the department’s goal of establishing positive relationships with the community. 

“Some people just don’t have interactions with us, and when they do, it’s on their worst day,” Babros said. “Maybe they got pulled over for speeding, or maybe there’s a bad situation or incident that took place where we had to go and interact with them. 

“If they can ride with us in a car for a full 10-hour shift and see what our officers go through on a daily basis, it is completely mind-blowing. Because the impact that our officers make on our community is tremendous.”

With the long-standing history of the program, Babros said the community feedback has been nothing but positive. 

“The community feedback is absolutely amazing,” Babros said. “We’ve had citizens take selfies and take pictures with police officers, posted on their Facebook groups, posted on their social media platforms. … We hear nothing but great things. Everybody wishes they could do them more.

“We’ve even had people apply to the Peoria Police Department and come here for a further job opportunity. They loved the ride-along so much, and they built that rapport with that officer — they build that friendship. It’s amazing what 10 hours can do in a car with an officer.”

The officer feedback also sings praises, as they enjoy the ability to build relationships with the people they protect. 

“Having somebody else in the car, riding with them, and where they’re not riding alone, it’s a big difference because then they can share all of their experiences,” Babros said. “They can share all of their knowledge and training with somebody who’s riding in the front seat with them. And I think that’s huge.”

Overall, the program presents a positive and conducive environment to bridge the gap between resident and officer, creating a stronger bond between the two as the city continues to grow.

“We care so much about our community; we care so much about our citizens,” Babros said. “We want them to see what we deal with on a daily basis, and we have nothing to hide — everything is there. We want them to have a positive interaction with the police department.

“What better way to do that than to have them come and hop in the front seat of a police car and spend the day with us?”