Sherriff's teen son allowed to arrest and ride along with police

Patrick Zaruba

To become a DuPage County sheriff’s deputy, applicants must be at least 21 and have two or more years of college credit. But those qualifications apparently don’t matter, provided you’re a son of the western suburbs’ top law enforcement official. A Better Government Association/CBS2 investigation found that Patrick Zaruba, the teenage son of DuPage County Sheriff John Zaruba, was allowed to go on numerous patrols with on-duty sheriff’s officers in recent years, dress like a cop, and participate in car and foot chases and, possibly, arrests.

OMG!! I would say what in God's name were they thinking, but apparently it seems they were not. If I were someone pulled over or arrested I'd contest it. They can't claim citizen's arrest. If anything the son was impersonating an officer. My head's spinning at possible implications of this.

People do ride-alongs, perhaps this is the case? Bring your son to work day?

I don't have a problem with the rides, but I can't believe his father allowed him to participate in chases and arrests. Sounds rather dangerous for an untrained teen. Would this be considered child abuse?

When I did Ride A Alongs, I had to stay in the backseat of cruiser and not intervene at all with the suspect. Maybe things have changed now.

I don't see a problem. As long as the kid doesn't shoot people, what's the matter? I guess he wants to become a cop, so his father shows him how it's done and from the looks of it, they don't do crazy stuff.
I agree that kids shouldn't be in dangerous places or given authority for things they don't understand (like that crazy russian pilot 18 years ago who let his kid fly an commercial airliner - which then crashed, killing all people) but as far as i can tell, that's not the case here.

Originally posted by smyleegrl
People do ride-alongs, perhaps this is the case? Bring your son to work day?

I don't have a problem with the rides, but I can't believe his father allowed him to participate in chases and arrests. Sounds rather dangerous for an untrained teen. Would this be considered child abuse?

I would. What if he got shot during a chase, would the sheriff then sue the city? Even though he is the one liable.

Originally posted by Manhater
When I did Ride A Alongs, I had to stay in the backseat of cruiser and not intervene at all with the suspect. Maybe things have changed now.

The thing is he wore a uniform, and all, only no gun. Then during the arrest, the sheriff introduced him to the boy's father or uncle, and they held to their constitutional rights and said they couldn't come in without a warrant. The boy later turned himself in. But still what the sheriff allowed is basically illegal. Can you imagine all the convictions that could be overturned because of this?

My father was the Chief of Police in our town as I was growing up. I used to ride along with the police all the time. I was riding with the police since I was 12 years old and enjoyed every minute of it. I am 56 now and do not regret being able to participate at such a young age. By the time I was 16-17 I was running down perps just like the real police although I would stay with one of the cops and allow him to make the arrest while I would only help if the officer needed help in cuffing the suspect. It was a blast for a young person but it was during a different era and for the most part people respected the police and the police respected the people.

At age 18 I was working undercover with the local law-enforcement and the state police in drug operations. It was mostly marijuanna since at that time weed was the most prolific "drug" on the streets.

I finally grew up and I became a LEO also. I was blessed in that I was able to see the evolution of policing from what it was in the late '60's and '70's to what it is now. Most of the officers in the '60's and '70's were more people oriented than they are today. Officers of that era would actually get out and talk to the people and knew most of them by name.

Originally posted by mikelkhall
My father was the Chief of Police in our town as I was growing up. I used to ride along with the police all the time. I was riding with the police since I was 12 years old and enjoyed every minute of it. I am 56 now and do not regret being able to participate at such a young age. By the time I was 16-17 I was running down perps just like the real police although I would stay with one of the cops and allow him to make the arrest while I would only help if the officer needed help in cuffing the suspect. It was a blast for a young person but it was during a different era and for the most part people respected the police and the police respected the people.

At age 18 I was working undercover with the local law-enforcement and the state police in drug operations. It was mostly marijuanna since at that time weed was the most prolific "drug" on the streets.

I finally grew up and I became a LEO also. I was blessed in that I was able to see the evolution of policing from what it was in the late '60's and '70's to what it is now. Most of the officers in the '60's and '70's were more people oriented than they are today. Officers of that era would actually get out and talk to the people and knew most of them by name.

I agree. Back then was a different era. Heck, as a kid you could walk home alone at 9, and you'd probably get there. Sometimes it's sad to see how far we've come.

reply to post by happyhomemaker29


You are right. Back then the police would have probably offered you a ride to make sure you got home safely.

Originally posted by mikelkhall
reply to post by happyhomemaker29

 

You are right. Back then the police would have probably offered you a ride to make sure you got home safely.

Nowadays they'd probably take you to the station, ask why you were out past citywide curfew and yell at your parents for being neglectful, after they turn the parents in to CPS. I remember, years ago (maybe 10 years or so), my brother was walking around the city with his friend's at 2 or 3 am. Not causing trouble, just going to different convenience stores, friend's houses, playing basketball at the park, whatnot. The police stopped them asked is their parents knew where they were. My brother, ever the smart@ss, said my mother said I could be out, then mouthed off the cop about how it was none of his business, etc... The cop made them all go home and made sure they got there.