Police Ride-Along in Metro Detroit | Police Photography
A police ride along is an opportunity that allows civilians to accompany and observe law enforcement officers during their regular duties.
Individuals get to gain firsthand insight into the daily challenges, responsibilities, and dynamics of policing within a community. I joined an afternoon in to the night shift at Pittsfield Township Police Department to document their officers at work. Often times, police departments will have a professional photographer join for a ride along so they’ll have photos to use for recruiting, social media, and marketing materials.
I was able to ride with the Sergeant. I joined at about 4:30 pm and stayed until Midnight, and while I thought it was a lot of action happening, he considered it a slower night. He showed me the details of the patrol vehicle, talking me through what to expect throughout the evening, and through his actions he really taught me policing is much more work than what civilians will ever even know about.
Before we dive into the photos, can I take a minute to tell you a couple things that surprised me about the experience?
-We all obviously know officers walk up to a pulled over car not knowing who they are going to be dealing with or what the person might have with them. Seeing this firsthand made what often looks like a simple situation of a vehicle being pulled over to seeing each time as a potentially dangerous situation.
-I had no idea how much work police officers do in their patrol vehicles. The patrol car basically serves as a rolling workspace for officers. It felt like the Sergeant was often talking with dispatch or other officers on duty, looking information up on the databases available to them, checking further into situations happening throughout the shift, and keeping a watchful eye on the township. There was never a dull moment.
Without further ado, the Department has allowed me to share some photos from the experience, and I’d love for you to see a shift in action!
Thank you to Pittsfield Township Police Department and the officers for allowing me to document their night, ask them questions, and share a visual story from the ride along! And a bigger thank you for all of your service - we appreciate you.
Chelsie
Chelsie Maurer is an award winning professional photographer serving Metro Detroit and surrounding areas including Rochester, Rochester Hills, Utica, Troy, Macomb, Birmingham, Grosse Pointe, Chesterfield, Shelby Township, Sterling Heights, Warren, Oakland Township, Washington Township, and West Bloomfield.