--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For many years, I did ride-alongs with…" description: "\"For many years, I did ride-alongs with patrol cops, which is any citizen's right.\" — George Pelecanos" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d29/george-pelecanos-3616_cops_for-many-years-i-did-ride-alongs-with-pa_3120709.png" --- # For many years, I did ride-alongs with patrol cops, which… ![“For many years, I did ride-alongs with patrol cops, which is any citizen's right.” quote by George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d29/george-pelecanos-3616_cops_for-many-years-i-did-ride-alongs-with-pa_3120709.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d29/george-pelecanos-3616_cops_for-many-years-i-did-ride-alongs-with-pa_3120709.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d29/george-pelecanos-3616_cops_for-many-years-i-did-ride-alongs-with-pa_3120709.png) > “For many years, I did ride-alongs with patrol cops, which is any citizen's right.” [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ride‑alongs with police highlight a citizen’s right to observe law enforcement, underscoring civic engagement. **In simple terms:** Citizens can ride along with police as a right. Key Takeaway Participate in community safety and stay informed. Themes civic rights law enforcement engagement transparency Mood informative thought‑provoking Type civic educational When to use this quote - neighborhood watch - public safety meetings - policy advocacy Key Concepts public oversight community policing civil liberties Questions to Reflect On - Why is it important to witness police work? - How can citizens support accountable policing? A Different Perspective Not all jurisdictions allow ride‑alongs; safety concerns may arise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alongs Patrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alongs-patrol-5477994/) [Citizen Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizen-right-550444/) [Cops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cops/) [Cops Citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cops-citizen-5477993/) [Many](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/many/) [Patrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patrol/) [Patrol Cops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patrol-cops-5145466/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) ## Related quotes > [The only thing police patrol cops - in certain situations - are expert at is spotting anomalies. When you are a black person that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheo-hodari-coker/the-only-thing-police-patrol-cops-in-certain-situations-are-expert-at/) [Cheo Hodari Coker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheo-hodari-coker/) > [Every state begins in compulsion; but the habits of obedience become the content of conscience, and soon every citizen thrills with loyalty to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/every-state-begins-in-compulsion-but-the-habits-of-obedience-become/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [The royalists of the economic order have conceded that political freedom was the business of the government, but they have maintained that economic slavery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/the-royalists-of-the-economic-order-have-conceded-that-political/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [In a composite Nation like ours, made up of almost every variety of the human family, there should be, as before the Law, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/in-a-composite-nation-like-ours-made-up-of-almost-every-variety-of/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [The American system of democracy is founded on the concept that every citizen has the right to vote, to know that their vote is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mikulski/the-american-system-of-democracy-is-founded-on-the-concept-that-every/) [Barbara Mikulski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mikulski/) > [No citizen has a right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training... what a disgrace it is for a man to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/no-citizen-has-a-right-to-be-an-amateur-in-the-matter-of-physical/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [There is a kind of dictatorship that can come about through a creeping paralysis of thought, readiness to accept paternalistic measures by government, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/there-is-a-kind-of-dictatorship-that-can-come-about-through-a/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Freedom of the press, or, to be more precise, the benefit of freedom of the press, belongs to everyone – to the citizen as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hays-sulzberger/freedom-of-the-press-or-to-be-more-precise-the-benefit-of-freedom-of/) [Arthur Hays Sulzberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hays-sulzberger/) > [The Growing Smarter laws now in place compel every community to plan their future growth and allow every citizen the right to be heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-d-hull/the-growing-smarter-laws-now-in-place-compel-every-community-to-plan/) [Jane D. Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-d-hull/) > [No citizen has any right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training; it is part of his profession as a citizen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-citizen-has-any-right-to-be-an-amateur-in-the-matter-of-physical/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It was a really big deal to become an American citizen the right way. You have to work really hard, and it is such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camila-alves/it-was-a-really-big-deal-to-become-an-american-citizen-the-right-way/) [Camila Alves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camila-alves/) > [“rabid tush patrol”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-barry/rabid-tush-patrol/) [Kevin Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-barry/) > [Well, mines was a sub machine gun. That was my personal weapon with being the first person in the patrol. I used to lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-walker/well-mines-was-a-sub-machine-gun-that-was-my-personal-weapon-with/) [David Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-walker/) > [“Bluestar's coming on patrol? Watch out for flying hedgehogs!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-hunter-cloudpaw-a-dangerous-path-warriors-5/bluestar-s-coming-on-patrol-watch-out-for-flying-hedgehogs/) [Erin Hunter Cloudpaw A Dangerous Path Warriors 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-hunter-cloudpaw-a-dangerous-path-warriors-5/) > [As someone who has had family members on patrol and in the line of fire, I care deeply about public safety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ketanji-brown-jackson/as-someone-who-has-had-family-members-on-patrol-and-in-the-line-of/) [Ketanji Brown Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ketanji-brown-jackson/) ## More by George Pelecanos > [I want to be read. When you write a TV show like 'The Wire,' you've got three to four million readers watching your work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/i-want-to-be-read-when-you-write-a-tv-show-like-the-wire-you-ve-got/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [I'm more apt to shed a tear than my wife about family matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/i-m-more-apt-to-shed-a-tear-than-my-wife-about-family-matters/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [People like to talk to me. I don't know why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/people-like-to-talk-to-me-i-don-t-know-why/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [I'm a very sentimental, emotional person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/i-m-a-very-sentimental-emotional-person/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [My goal is to get a real film industry started in Washington. An actual one, not where features come to town and shoot second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/my-goal-is-to-get-a-real-film-industry-started-in-washington-an/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [I do have shout-outs to bands and musicians I like in my books, but the musical references can be misunderstood. Often, I have people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/i-do-have-shout-outs-to-bands-and-musicians-i-like-in-my-books-but/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [“And Constantine thought: So this is how it is, at the end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/and-constantine-thought-so-this-is-how-it-is-at-the-end/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [I never took a writing class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/i-never-took-a-writing-class/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [I've just been very interested in the living side of Washington, rather than the federal side, since I was a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/i-ve-just-been-very-interested-in-the-living-side-of-washington/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [I can't relax. I don't have any hobbies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/i-can-t-relax-i-don-t-have-any-hobbies/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [I've seen firsthand how books can change people's lives. It happened to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/i-ve-seen-firsthand-how-books-can-change-people-s-lives-it-happened/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [I was a movie freak before I was a book lover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/i-was-a-movie-freak-before-i-was-a-book-lover/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [Is there a more violent book than the Bible?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/is-there-a-more-violent-book-than-the-bible/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [My father was a Marine who fought in the Pacific in WW II. He was a very tough guy, but after the war, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/my-father-was-a-marine-who-fought-in-the-pacific-in-ww-ii-he-was-a/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [But when I do book signings and personal appearances, the audiences are mostly white. Growing up here, I expected that and understand it. Black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/but-when-i-do-book-signings-and-personal-appearances-the-audiences/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) [Explore all 126 George Pelecanos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) ## More Cops quotes > [“Cops aren't really your friends, they are trying to be your friends but they are not… - They are searching evidence to PIN YOU.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/cops-aren-t-really-your-friends-they-are-trying-to-be-your-friends/) [Deyth Banger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deyth-banger/) > [Everyone wants to be part of the 99%, even the cops are like, "No, no, man. I'm part of the 99% too." No one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-drooker/everyone-wants-to-be-part-of-the-99-even-the-cops-are-like-no-no-man/) [Eric Drooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-drooker/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [If we were a dog and God owned us, the cops would come and take us away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/if-we-were-a-dog-and-god-owned-us-the-cops-would-come-and-take-us-away/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I just put myself in a hotel and was smoking coke for a while. Then I met up with the wrong people. I ended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-wallice/i-just-put-myself-in-a-hotel-and-was-smoking-coke-for-a-while-then-i/) [Marc Wallice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-wallice/) > [I can't understand why culture cops try and impose their brand of morality on others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/i-can-t-understand-why-culture-cops-try-and-impose-their-brand-of/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I remember my first run-in with cops. It took me really getting to hang, well after that, with cops who were cool, and realizing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/i-remember-my-first-run-in-with-cops-it-took-me-really-getting-to/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [“I was standing by the car when two police officers showed up in the alley, very interested in me and the BMW in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomas-adam-nyapi/i-was-standing-by-the-car-when-two-police-officers-showed-up-in-the/) [Tomas Adam Nyapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomas-adam-nyapi/) > [I've definitely run from the cops in the New York City subways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/i-ve-definitely-run-from-the-cops-in-the-new-york-city-subways/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [“Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do, watcha gonna do when they cut your wiener,” Gavin sang as he pointed his gun at random…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-sivec/bad-boys-bad-boys-whatcha-gonna-do-watcha-gonna-do-when-they-cut-your/) [Tara Sivec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-sivec/) > [The BET definition of a humanitarian is someone who perpetuates a war on cops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomi-lahren/the-bet-definition-of-a-humanitarian-is-someone-who-perpetuates-a-war/) [Tomi Lahren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomi-lahren/) > [Where are the cops when you need them? (Nick) Probably eating beignets. As the old saying goes, when seconds count, the police are just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/where-are-the-cops-when-you-need-them-nick-probably-eating-beignets/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [There's one overriding issue, namely, that we live in a police state so long as the police get to police themselves. And that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/there-s-one-overriding-issue-namely-that-we-live-in-a-police-state-so/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [I'm the black sheep in a family of cops. I understand how difficult the job is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montel-vontavious-porter/i-m-the-black-sheep-in-a-family-of-cops-i-understand-how-difficult/) [Montel Vontavious Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montel-vontavious-porter/) > [If you feel your rights are being abused by the authorities, and you don't say something, sometimes the cops don't know how far to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-hawkins/if-you-feel-your-rights-are-being-abused-by-the-authorities-and-you/) [Corey Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-hawkins/) [Browse all 352 Cops quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cops/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For many years, I did ride-alongs with patrol cops, which is any citizen's right.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Pelecanos" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/for-many-years-i-did-ride-alongs-with-patrol-cops-which-is-any/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cops" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/for-many-years-i-did-ride-alongs-with-patrol-cops-which-is-any/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d29/george-pelecanos-3616_cops_for-many-years-i-did-ride-alongs-with-pa_3120709.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d29/george-pelecanos-3616_cops_for-many-years-i-did-ride-alongs-with-pa_3120709.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d29/george-pelecanos-3616_cops_for-many-years-i-did-ride-alongs-with-pa_3120709.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For many years, I did ride-alongs with patrol cops, which is any citizen's right.” — George Pelecanos", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "George Pelecanos", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For many years, I did ride-alongs...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/for-many-years-i-did-ride-alongs-with-patrol-cops-which-is-any/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/for-many-years-i-did-ride-alongs-with-patrol-cops-which-is-any/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```