‘The frontline without any filters’: Fed rep helps roll out virtual ride-alongs

29 April 2026

A workplace representative has shared his delight after becoming one of the first West Mercia Police officers to take part in the Force’s new virtual ride-along scheme.

Launched in March, the scheme is set to give the public unprecedented access to frontline policing through body-worn video footage streamed in real time.

It has been designed to offer audiences an even deeper insight into the work of officers out in the Force’s communities – by letting the public experience frontline policing remotely, rather than physically joining officers in a patrol car.

The initiative comes after the introduction of in-person ride-alongs last year, which, although they have been successful, come with limitations to what members of the public can attend. 

PC Ryan Davies was among those approached to assist with the project’s roll-out, as he agreed to wear a dedicated body camera during a shift on neighbourhood duties in Wellington town centre.

PC Ryan Davies. Picture credit: The BBC.

The camera captured his every action while media outlets, including the BBC, Hits Radio, the Shropshire Star and Telford Live were invited to tune in and watch.

Speaking after having all eyes on him, Ryan said: “It was certainly a different experience from my usual, but one I very much enjoyed. One of my managers, Inspector Matt Sanders, was involved in the creation of the scheme, and he asked if I would be a part of it.

“I was more than happy to say yes, and I think the shift itself went well. I was a bit conscious of the camera and the livestream, but I was still able to remain fully focused on the jobs I had at hand and be my normal self at work.

“The footage was well received by the media, as far as I’m aware, so hopefully that will encourage take-up of the scheme and people out there can see what really happens on the frontline - without any filters.”

Virtual ride-along

Ryan went on to discuss some of his hopes for virtual ride-alongs, such as a better public understanding of the police stemming from the added authenticity provided by live body-worn footage.

“I’m a neighbourhood officer across Telford, which is where I’ve lived for most of my life. Because it’s not the biggest place, it has that ‘everyone knows everyone’ feel, and I’m able to communicate with people accordingly on shift,” he continued.

“That’s the side of policing I love – real conversations and real moments, which aren’t polished or scripted. If this new project can show the frontline in that light, then I think it will help the public appreciate the people we are, the job we do and how we interact with our communities.

“Plus, I think these ride-alongs will help answer some questions around what our time gets taken up with on shift and why we can’t be at certain jobs straight away. We are under so much demand from multiagency work, for instance, and sometimes we simply cannot be in two places at once.

Shining a light

“For me, shining a light on that reality for officers would definitely be welcome.”

The 36-year-old also shared his belief that it will ‘only be a matter of time’ until the Force’s original method of ride-along is overtaken in popularity by its virtual alternative.

He argued that while the in-person option may feel more immediately exciting, gaining vision to a fuller picture of policing will eventually prove more worthwhile to attendees.

“A lot of the feedback we’ve had suggests the public are expecting a level of access that the in-person scheme simply can’t grant them. I suspect many think they are getting an episode of Police Interceptors, but that just isn’t the case.

“Of course, we prioritise threat and harm risk in our work, but we don’t want to increase that risk by exposing an audience to it as well.”

Workplace rep

Rounding off, Ryan, who has recently become a Federation workplace representative, looked to the future of the virtual ride-along project as he encouraged branch members to get involved.

“The plan is to roll out the camera across my division, and I think there are lots of departments it could work well in, like response, firearms, the dog unit and many more,” he added.

“Wearing the camera on shift might not be for everyone, but if you do fancy it, I would recommend asking your supervisor about taking part – it’s a great initiative which can essentially act as another piece of PPE and ensure the amazing work you do doesn’t go unnoticed.”

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