Programs

Yamhill County Sheriff's Office creates special programs that target specific needs of local residents.

YCSO Citizens' Academy

Yamhill County Sheriff's Office offers a nine-week Citizens' Academy open to any qualified and interested Yamhill County citizen. The Citizens' Academy will be held weekly over the course of nine weeks. The class, which will be held at the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office in McMinnville, will run from 6 pm - 9 pm each week. Each session will cover different topics and information, which will include:

  • Overview of Sheriff's Office
  • Jail Programs, including a Jail Tour
  • Deputy Selection and Training
  • Patrol Procedures and Equipment, including Traffic Enforcement and Search and Seizure
  • Criminal Law and Court Procedures
  • Narcotics Investigations, including a K-9 demonstration
  • Criminal Investigations and Crime Scene Processing
  • Officer Safety and Defensive Tactics
  • The Pain Behind The Badge documentary film viewing and discussion
  • TASER Presentation
  • Multiple Interactive Learning Objectives (MILO) Interactive Training Simulator optional session
  • Volunteer Programs

Instructors during the course will include deputies, supervisors, and members of the Sheriff's Office Command Team, who will explain and demonstrate the duties of their positions. We encourage questions and comments throughout the course. More information, including qualifications and how to apply, can be found at the Citizens Academy page.

Yamhill County Ride-Along Program

Updated March 2025: 
At this time, ride-alongs are only available for YCSO deputy candidates through the application process once they have successfully completed Step 4 of our hiring process (see Join the Team page). 

Ride-Along Qualifications

As part of our on-going commitment to encourage communication and partnership, the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office (YCSO) offers a Citizen Ride-Along program to provide the citizens of Yamhill County the opportunity to observe the functions of the YCSO and experience the law enforcement responsibilities of the office first hand. The time spent on the ride-along also allows the opportunity for conversation and greater understanding between the citizen and deputy sheriff. Due to the popularity of the program, participants are limited to three rides per calendar year.

You may request to participate in the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office Ride-Along program if you are a Yamhill County citizen and:

  • At least 18 years of age or
  • Between the ages of 14 and 18 if the following requirements are met:
    • The applicant is an active member of a law enforcement explorer scout post or cadet program, and a letter of approval from the advisor is submitted;
    • The applicant is a student enrolled in a course/subject closely related to law enforcement, and a letter of approval from the instructor is submitted; and
    • The applicant must obtain permission from parent/guardian and submit a signed Parental Endorsement.

The following conditions may disqualify you from participation, based on the results of the background check and the determination by the appropriate Sheriff's Office supervisor:

  • Currently on any form of pre-trial release;
  • Outstanding warrants;
  • Felony conviction;
  • Misdemeanor conviction;
  • In the jurisdiction of the juvenile court for less than three years for having committed an act which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a felony or a misdemeanor involving violence; or
  • If motives for riding are determined not to be in the best interest of the applicant and/or Sheriff's Office.

Rules for Ride-Along

The Ride-Along program follows established rules for the protection of the citizen observer. Violation of these rules may result in immediate termination of the ride-along.

  1. Citizens having recently consumed alcoholic beverages or drugs or who appear to have used same will not be allowed to ride.
  2. Riders shall not be armed, even with concealed handgun license, except for sworn deputies or officers who are riding.
  3. The use of cameras, recording devices, and cell phones are prohibited.
  4. For the safety of the rider and the host deputy, as well as the individuals encountered during the ride-along, riders must comply with any order or directive given by the deputy(s).
  5. Riders should be appropriately dressed in casual business attire, (e.g. slacks, khakis, etc.). Please, no denim, shorts, heels, low-cut clothing, or clothing that impedes movement. Riders should not wear torn, soiled, or offensive clothing.
  6. A ride-along shall last a maximum of one shift.
  7. Deputies shall take into consideration their rider's safety when responding to calls for service.

Application Procedures

  1. For each ride-along request, an applicant shall complete a Citizen Ride-Along Request Form (PDF) and submit it to the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office at least ten days prior to the requested ride-along date.
  2. Applications will be reviewed by a supervisor and a background check conducted by the Records Division.
  3. If approved, the ride-along shall normally be scheduled by the shift supervisor considering both the requested date(s) and operational needs of the Sheriff's Office.
    1. Applicant will be notified of the approval and assigned date/time of the scheduled ride-along.
    2. The host deputy sheriff will normally be selected by the shift supervisor; requests for specific deputies will be honored if possible.
  4. Each ride-along will be evaluated by the deputy with whom they ride and that evaluation may determine the citizen's future eligibility to participate in the ride-along program.

All participants should be aware that all information and observations acquired by the citizen during the ride-along shall be considered strictly confidential unless otherwise stated by the host deputy sheriff. The citizen should also be aware that any action s/he observes during the ride-along may require their participation in legal proceedings. As part of the application, the citizen shall read and sign the included Citizen Ride-Along Waiver.