Township Council OKs Teens for Police Ride-Alongs

Lower Saucon Township Council voted unanimously to allow young people 16 and older to participate in the township’s police ride-along program at council's Sept. 7 meeting.

“The ride-along program is most beneficial for a young person,” said council vice president Tom Maxfield. “Sixteen is a good age.”

Maxfield said he originally thought 21 should be the youngest age for a ride-along participant, but had a change of heart.

Council President Glenn Kern explained that high school students would benefit from this program, which would allow them to see how law enforcement works at a personal level.

Other changes to the ride-along program, which Township Manager Jack Cahalan discussed at council's August meeting, include provisions mandating that participants remain in a police car at all times, that they not participate in any conversations or incidents, and that they not use any video or recording devices.

In addition, the policy has been updated to prohibit participants from using any video or recording devices or cell phones during the ride-along.

However, not everyone was pleased with the revisions.

"This is something that needs to go by the wayside," said Lower Saucon resident Stephanie Brown. "There are better ways to introduce people to the ways of the police--not an active ride-along where anything can happen."

At its Aug. 17 meeting, council reviewed an updated ride-along policy and looked at suggestions given by Solicitor Lincoln Treadwell.

At the August meeting, council member Ron Horiszny suggested that police not transport prisoners in a car that has a ride-along participant in it. Cahalan said he believes that police do not transport prisoners during ride-alongs, but it was not reflected in the documentation.

Cahalan said Lower Saucon Township Police Chief Guy Lesser has reviewed and agreed with the revisions to the policy.