Follow us on

Thursday, May 23, 2013 | 6:22 a.m.

Updated: 6:23 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008 | Posted: 4:19 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008

Police Say Fake Officer Had Cache Of Police Equipment



TACOMA, Wash. —

Lakewood police arrested a man Wednesday on suspicion of impersonating a police officer and discovered he owned a cache of law enforcement equipment, guns and a truck equipped to look like an undercover police vehicle, reported KIRO 7 Eyewitness News.

Police impounded the 52-year-old Dupont man's Nissan Frontier pickup truck that was equipped with red-and-blue flashing police lights, sirens, K-9 stickers, a public address system and a police scanner.

Also found inside the truck were two police-type badges, handcuffs and a handgun, police said.

SLIDESHOW: Man's Truck, Home Loaded With Police Equipment

After serving a search warrant at the man's home, Lakewood investigators said they found several badges, a black windbreaker and T-shirts with police markings and a small arsenal of weapons including a rifle fitted with a high-powered sniper scope.

Lakewood police said they are looking for possible victims of the man who may have been passing himself off as a police officer for several months.

"We have reason to believe that he has told others, including law enforcement, that he was affiliated with another law enforcement agency," said Lakewood Police Lt. Heidi Hoffman.

Lakewood police said they began investigating the man a month ago after a patrol officer was told by employees at Champions Sports Bar that the man came in to check on someone parked in a handicapped spot, claiming he was a Pierce County sheriff's deputy.

"We're very concerned that he may have been conducting traffic stops, and so if there's anyone out there who's been stopped by this man or approached and had him identify himself as law enforcement, we need to talk to those witnesses," said Hoffman.

Anyone with information in the case or may have been contacted by the man is asked to call Lakewood police at 253-380-5011.

More News

 
Featured Articles
Ads By Google
 

Video from KIRO 7

KIRO Live News

KIRO Live News

KIRO 7 Eyewitness News for iPad

KIRO 7 Eyewitness News for iPad

Get the new KIRO 7 Eyewitness News for iPad app -- featuring the latest news, photos, videos, weather, traffic and a livestream of all KIRO 7 newscasts.