FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. — A police impersonator in the Frederick County area has been making illegal traffic stops for the past two months, Frederick County Sheriff's Office (FCSO) said.
FCSO was alerted of the wanna-be law enforcement person after receiving numerous calls in March and April.
They said in a recent encounter on April 11 around 6 p.m., the cop impersonator conducted a traffic stop in a black SUV with a single blue LED light bar.
The driver the "officer" pulled over told FCSO that the fake officer approached his car and did not identify himself. The driver said the "officer" then asked him if there were narcotics, guns, or bombs in his vehicle. After telling the impersonator that he did not have any of those items except for prescription pills, the driver said the "officer" asked for the pills and demanded the driver provide identification. The driver said he handed over the pills and asked the “officer” for his identification. The said “officer” went back to his SUV with the prescription pills and sped away in his vehicle, the driver told FCSO.
Police said, the unidentified driver the fake cop pulled over described the "officer" as wearing "khaki pants, a black hoodie, black baseball cap, black face covering, and a black tactical vest without any agency identifier on it." The driver also told police that the fake officer was a stocky man with hair and southern accent.
After that incident in Frederick County, Brunswick Police Department officers said they responded to a similar call with a black SUV that matched the description of the impersonator and his vehicle.
Police are now asking residents to be vigilant and have provided tips to drivers if they encounter a similar situation:
- If it is dark outside, pull over in a well-lit area
- Look for a uniform and if the officer is in plain clothes, look for some sort of agency identifier
- If there is no agency identifier, politely ask the officer for their proper identification
- If they don’t provide you the proper identification, ask if you can contact the police dispatch center to verify the stop. For FCSO that number is 301-600-1046
- Pay attention to what the officer is asking for (license, registration, proof of insurance)
- Don’t get out of the vehicle, unless the officer is verified and has asked you to do so
- Lastly trust your instinct, if the stop feels “off,” then contact the FCSO dispatch at 301-600-1046 or 911.
FCSO is asking anyone who has experienced a similar a traffic stop like the incident on April 11 in the county or have any information in this case to contact the FCSO at 301-600-1046. For more informaction, click here.
