Arrested for impersonating a police officer

[Max P]

I am currently registered with C.E.R.T., the National Neighborhood Community Watch program, VIPS, and USA on Watch.

What I generally do is drive around my city and if I see anything suspicious I call the police to report it. I NEVER pull anybody over, make arrests, etc. I have been certified from CERT since this past February.

Anyway, I was out a few weeks ago at 7PM driving around my city doing my usual. I called in to report kids shooting bottle rockets, graffiti, etc. I try to do at least 2-4 hours every Sunday to give back to my community.

I purchased my uniform from QMI Uniforms. The uniform badges on the arms say “Crime Prevention Officer” and I was given the title of “Community Service Officer 4822” from CERT.

As I was heading home at around 11PM I get pulled over by the local PD and was told to step out of the vehicle with my hands on my head and the whole deal. Anyway, I stood by as one officer went through my van to look for whatever he wanted to look for (I told him to knock himself out). He went back to his car and was doing his thing on the computer and finally after about 20 minutes of waiting he comes up to me and tells me I am under arrest for impersonating a police officer.

I do not understand what the problem was. I had no weapons, nothing on my uniform said “Police,” etc. He took me to the city police station and the officer told me that I am impersonating a federal agent (Since CERT is linked with Homeland Security) and that the FBI is probably on there way since it is a Sunday and nobody from Homeland could come over on a late Sunday evening.

Long story short, he comes back, gives me a ticket for “impersonating a police officer” and I now have to appear in court in a month or two. I asked him “Why the sudden change of heart?” since he was initially trying to scare me about the FBI and Homeland Security coming. He said “I decided to cut you a brake. Also, I did not want to take you to jail and have my dog (he was a K9) sit in the heat.” FYI: His dog was inside with him the whole time.

He took my shirt, badge; belt with my ham radio that I used to communicate with whomever was running the local CERT program that evening, etc.

Anyway, do the police officer’s here have any comments or suggestions? I had no bad intentions; I was simply driving around my city trying to give back to my community. I help stranded motorists, give people jumps, gas, hell I even carry a broom in my van so if I see any broken glass in the street I can clean it up. As I now understand it my mistake was not registering with the city. He informed me of this, so I am definitely sorry for not registering. Court is coming up and I have an attorney, but I want this to be hopefully dropped since I just graduated from college and hope to apply to a few PD’s around my area.
Thank you for any help you guys can provide.

Max

EDIT: I talked to a few of the officers that night and they were very cool. I even asked one for a few extra index cards since I had run out, so I can take notes and whatnot. He even told me "I'm S3 on the radio. Have a safe night out there." Go figure huh.

[hitnrun]

Uh oh. If you can't get the charge dropped, you would not be eligible for hire by my dept. or any neighboring agencies. Impersonating is take pretty seriously around here. I hope that you can get this cleared up. Good luck.

[Max P]

Uh oh. If you can't get the charge dropped, you would not be eligible for hire by my dept. or any neighboring agencies. Impersonating is take pretty seriously around here. I hope that you can get this cleared up. Good luck.

Uh oh indeed. My attorney is confident that it will be dropped, but he said the more research I can do the better, so that is why I registered here. I was hoping to get some information from officers on the board.

[hitnrun]

Sounds like this started from a misunderstanding. You were charged because you didn't know that you needed to register with your city? What good is the state CERT then? Does it just acknowledge that you have the credentials, but not any city affiliation?

[Max P]

Sounds like this started from a misunderstanding. You were charged because you didn't know that you needed to register with your city? What good is the state CERT then? Does it just acknowledge that you have the credentials, but not any city affiliation?

That is what I told the arresting officer. He kept saying "I don't understand why you're doing this. There has to be more to it.” I kept telling him there is nothing more to it lol. I spent my money on a uniform, lightbar for my van (amber front, red rear so it is kosher), etc.

I think he realized he screwed up and perhaps felt bad and decided only to give me a ticket. But I have to appear in court on the second date. The first date is just a whatchamacall it where my attorney appears for me.

Hell I have to go into the PD soon to get my photo and prints taken too! :(

It all boiled down to a misunderstanding. The officer says that CERT is an organization that is mainly used for FD's, but I told him after 9/11 they diversified to help more than just fire calls. If anything I am just a good Samaritan and am just trying to help my community. I do not know what to think. It makes me sadder than anything. All I want to do is give back to the community that I have been in since 6th grade and I get the shaft. I am not a college graduate and have always had an interest in law enforcement. Since I did not have time to for a PD, I decided to register with CERT and volunteer my time for my community.

On a funny side note, the officer cuffed me and was getting ready to put me in his car. He neglected to take my handcuff key that was hanging on my belt, so I pointed it out to him jokingly and he said “Yeah that would help if I took it huh?”

[sbrad]

I am currently registered with C.E.R.T., the National Neighborhood Community Watch program, VIPS, and USA on Watch.

What I generally do is drive around my city and if I see anything suspicious I call the police to report it. I NEVER pull anybody over, make arrests, etc. I have been certified from CERT since this past February.

Anyway, I was out a few weeks ago at 7PM driving around my city doing my usual. I called in to report kids shooting bottle rockets, graffiti, etc. I try to do at least 2-4 hours every Sunday to give back to my community.

I purchased my uniform from QMI Uniforms. The uniform badges on the arms say “Crime Prevention Officer” and I was given the title of “Community Service Officer 4822” from CERT.

As I was heading home at around 11PM I get pulled over by the local PD and was told to step out of the vehicle with my hands on my head and the whole deal. Anyway, I stood by as one officer went through my van to look for whatever he wanted to look for (I told him to knock himself out). He went back to his car and was doing his thing on the computer and finally after about 20 minutes of waiting he comes up to me and tells me I am under arrest for impersonating a police officer.

I do not understand what the problem was. I had no weapons, nothing on my uniform said “Police,” etc. He took me to the city police station and the officer told me that I am impersonating a federal agent (Since CERT is linked with Homeland Security) and that the FBI is probably on there way since it is a Sunday and nobody from Homeland could come over on a late Sunday evening.

Long story short, he comes back, gives me a ticket for “impersonating a police officer” and I now have to appear in court in a month or two. I asked him “Why the sudden change of heart?” since he was initially trying to scare me about the FBI and Homeland Security coming. He said “I decided to cut you a brake. Also, I did not want to take you to jail and have my dog (he was a K9) sit in the heat.” FYI: His dog was inside with him the whole time.

He took my shirt, badge; belt with my ham radio that I used to communicate with whomever was running the local CERT program that evening, etc.

Anyway, do the police officer’s here have any comments or suggestions? I had no bad intentions; I was simply driving around my city trying to give back to my community. I help stranded motorists, give people jumps, gas, hell I even carry a broom in my van so if I see any broken glass in the street I can clean it up. As I now understand it my mistake was not registering with the city. He informed me of this, so I am definitely sorry for not registering. Court is coming up and I have an attorney, but I want this to be hopefully dropped since I just graduated from college and hope to apply to a few PD’s around my area.
Thank you for any help you guys can provide.

Max

EDIT: I talked to a few of the officers that night and they were very cool. I even asked one for a few extra index cards since I had run out, so I can take notes and whatnot. He even told me "I'm S3 on the radio. Have a safe night out there." Go figure huh.

This is a joke, right?

[Max P]

This is a joke, right?

Honestly, I wish it was, but it is not. It is all true. :(

[sbrad]

Ok, wait.
You bought a uniform, badge and lightbar for your van so you can "patrol" your city?
I'm afraiid I would have had the exact same reaction as your arresting officer.

[Max P]

Ok, wait.
You bought a uniform, badge and lightbar for your van so you can "patrol" your city?
I'm afraiid I would have had the exact same reaction as your arresting officer.

After I passed my CERT certification I was given a list of dealers to purchase my uniform from. It is not like I purchased the uniform "for fun" or anything, I earned it after completing my training. As for the badge, it was custom made and had the title CERT gave me, Community Service Officer 4822.

I use the lightbar to help stranded motorists, so they are not mowed down if their car is stuck in an intersection for example.

[sbrad]

After I passed my CERT certification I was given a list of dealers to purchase my uniform from. It is not like I purchased the uniform "for fun" or anything, I earned it after completing my training. As for the badge, it was custom made and had the title CERT gave me, Community Service Officer 4822.

I use the lightbar to help stranded motorists, so they are not mowed down if their car is stuck in an intersection for example.

You are screaming "wannabe", brother. THAT is why you got hassled.

[soundwave]

I'm sorry Max P, but I have to agree with sbrad on this one. I'm doing the CERT course late next month as well as a long list of other things. I have 8 strobe lights on my car in total including a halogen rotator which are used for parades, escorts of slow-moving/oversize transports, road blocking when other official vehicles are completely unavailable (yes, I have a $$$ insurance bill ;O) and a bunch of other things. And yes, CERT can certainly, during a disaster call for the use of such lighting equipment in such circumstances.

But dude, you went all-out on this one. lol 1. You purchased a non-required uniform. 2. That uniform should only be used when CERT is required/enlisted for a disaster state (and I thought that you were only supposed to have a bright vest with "CERT" and a hard hat lol). 3. You purchased a custom-made badge which is not authorized/approved by CERT, FEMA and more than likely your sponsoring state agencies. 4. You installed a light bar for your personal vehicle. And yes, I do have an adequate amount of lighting equipment for 360 degree visibility, but they are removeable (and often are) and can't be mistaken for a law enforcement vehicle.

All I can say is that you should pray you have a good lawyer and catch the judge on a good day. Impersonating a LEO is a serious charge and will effectively annex your possibility of a LE career if it sticks. Another thing you should know (and your lawyer should have advised you) is that the determination of whether or not your actions/behaviors/equipment/uniform/etc. are considered impersonation is usually in the eyes of a "reasonable person" (meaning a regular citizen). If you show up in a quasi-marked vehicle (e.g. lightbar), an official-looking uniform (e.g. police/federal uniform), a badge (e.g. citizen's don't read badges or uniform patches, btw) and all the other equipment (e.g. ham radio, handcuff keys -- btw, why do you need that?) I would think that you belong to some official LE/federal agency before I scrutenize your uniform and actions (which most average people do not). Just my $0.02. Cheers.

[Ranger__101]

I think you've taken the CERT way to far. CERT is community bases and you've exceded your "CERT" authority since CERT members are under the direction of the local community Governemnt or Emergency Management.

If you were out there with out the permission of the Emergency Management or City you were in essense impersonating a government employee.

CERT members are not provided any form of badge and have no authority granted any other citizen. CERT members are trained volunteers who wish to serve their community when called upon by the local Emergency Management or Government.

Crime Prevention Officers are an official police position in many departments. By wearing that patch and the badge you are impersonating a police officer.

I would also recommend contacting the city where you are registred as a CERT member and completed your CERT training.

I would suspect your membership is terminated until the charges are resolved or completed. The City or County Government will need to know if the charges.

From what you have told me, I think the charges would stick since you are not an Employee of the City or County where you obtained your CERT Training and went out on your own. Had a badge created and created a uniform.

For those LE members take a look at this page from FEMA and it will explain CERT for those community members who take the training and wish to help. If you a have a CERT program in your community get to know the persons managing the program. CERT can be a great help during disaster and emergencies.

http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/CERT/index.asp

[SnowLeopard]

This is mostly, if not all, IMHO:

It is one thing for someone to be assumed to be a police officer by another because of the way they carry themselves, their demeanor, and other such characteristics. It is quite another, however, to take on stance using the devices and items that people identify to police even if those items and devices are not exactly like those of the real police.

There have been too many cases of people committing major crimes thru the use of things such as badges, such as bubble gum lights where the public (victim) assumes that the user is actual police and bows to the perceived authority. I had a case of the opposite where a motorist complained that she believed she was being stopped by teenagers in a stolen police car and did not accept the authority of their uniforms. At the time, I believed her excuse to be flimsy to get out of a ticket but all things considered, from case histories, there are possibilities.

These case histories are well published, are well known to the public. They are well known to the point that in safety bulletins it is noted that if someone is being stopped by "police" in a deserted area, they are permitted or "in their right" to proceed at a reduced safe speed to a well lit populated area.

Considering the above, the tension of people today, and the availabilty of concealed handgun licenses, which I do not argue against, I would support the actions of the arresting officer in the interest of public safety. That is, while your intentions may be honorable and not malecious, I would want you "brought up to speed" that you are out of line, IMHO.

I would not want, in the interest of public safety: someone to believe you to be a criminal impersonating a police officer and to put a round thru you because they feared for their life; a criminal to believe you are a police officer and put a round thru you because of that; reluctance of the community to accept who is police (and their authority) because now there are people driving around who look like police, act something like police, and you would not know that they are not police unless you examined their credentials very closely.

If your intentions were indeed honorable then may you get out of this with the judge only taking your head off verbally. I do believe you have crossed the line.
-------------------------------------------------------------
("I find him guilty has charged and sentence him to the juvinile facility."--Judge Gray on a teenager who impersonated a school police officer.
"Your Honor, this is a good boy!"--defense counsel in protest
"He's a well liked boy, counsel; there is a difference.", (wtte), "Judging Amy")

[Johninaustin]

Jail time. I'd have no problem going with this charge, and the judge wouldn't either. We've had some VERY bad experiences with police impersonators locally. They seem to come in groups, esp in the minority community.

[michiganstud]

No community watch or neighborhood watch citizens around here wear uniforms and carry badges/cuffs.

And I go along with DC here, you must have left something out preceding this stop. You did something.

Sorry, but you won't get any help from me.