When a Denver woman, who was driving on North Park Ave, saw the flashing red and blue lights in her rear view mirror, she knew to pull over. But when a Hispanic male in his early 40s with spiky hair and a pot belly approached her car, she knew there was something off about the so-called police officer.

“She said the male asked her for her license, proof of insurance, and also her vehicle registration,” said Detective Leslie Branch Wise with Denver Police. But when the suspect asked the female driver if she knew why she was being pulled over, she responded no. That is when he ran back to his car and drove off.

This recent traffic stop by a man who was impersonating a police officer, is similar to two other previous events that occurred in late July. On July 24 Aurora Police say a woman was pulled over around 2 a.m. by a man posing as an officer. The victim was ordered out of the car and was joined by a second man who was also pretending to be an officer. The victim told authorities she was sexually assaulted on the sidewalk before the two suspects got into the car and left.

On July 25, another woman was pulled over by a man in a white sedan with red and blue flashing lights. During this stop, however, the victim refused to get out of her car, when asked by the alleged police officer, and decided to call her parents instead. The fake cop bolted back to his car and drove away.

The Denver Police are concerned that traffic violators who are being pulled over legitimately may law maker’s will defy attempts to be stopped, for fear that they be they may be victimized by the police impersonator.

“We are definitely reaching out to those jurisdictions to share information and descriptions to see if this is kind of the same pattern or if it is a different, isolated incident,” Detective Leslie Branch Wise with Denver Police said.
“Police impersonators make it challenging for actual police officers to retain the trust of the public.”

If suspicion does arise, authorities recommend staying in the car, locking the doors and calling 911 to confirm that the office who has requested the traffic stop is an official officer of the local police department.

Branch Wise confirms, “dispatch will indeed confirm whether they are being stopped by an officer, and if not they’ll send an officer on the way.”