Lake Orion Police Chief Jerry Narsh is asking citizens who may have come in contact with a man posing as a police officer to contact the department, after a woman was stopped on Heights Road last week.
The 68-year-old woman, who was visiting from out-of-town, was leaving the Kroger store on Lapeer Road on Aug. 16, when a dark-colored vehicle began following her.
According to Narsh, the vehicle followed the woman through the turnaround and as she headed south on M-24. After she turned on Heights Road, Narsh said the man following her ‘activated a red flashing light,? and the woman pulled over, thinking he was a police officer.
The woman reported the incident, which happened between 1:30 and 3 p.m., the following day. The man who stopped her was described as clean-cut, with short sandy brown hair, and in his 20’s or 30’s.
The man was wearing a dark blue or black long-sleeved shirt and pants. Narsh said the man ‘had no police bells or whistles on the uniform.?
‘The positive thing about this is, people are looking, people are aware,? Narsh said of the incident, which followed an incident that happened Aug. 11 in Rochester Hills, where a 16-year-old girl was stopped by two people she believed to be police officers.
In the Lake Orion incident, Narsh said the man identified himself to the woman as ‘off-duty Officer Johnson,? and showed her a five-pointed star ID badge, which was not in a holder, and did not accompany a picture ID card.
Narsh said there is no ‘Officer Johnson? in this area, and advised people who feel uneasy about being stopped to ask to see the officer’s picture ID card.
‘Law enforcement is very concerned when someone masquerades as a police officer,? he said. ‘All law enforcement depends on the trust of the public in their officers. Our vehicles and uniforms are made conspicuous to extend that trust to the public.?
Narsh said the woman reported that the man told her he’d stopped her ‘to thank her for her courteous and safe driving,? and asked to see her driver’s license and registration papers.
‘He looked at her papers and made a brief notation on his clipboard,? Narsh said. ‘She left before he did.?
Narsh said the clipboard the man was using was an inexpensive cardboard-style one, which can be purchased at any office supply store, not the style of clipboard his officers would have.
He noted that there were some ‘incredible similarities,? between the Lake Orion incident and the incident that happened in Rochester Hills.
‘We are aggressively investigating this,? said Narsh, who had some advice for citizens who may be unsure about the person pulling them over.
He said motorists should activate their four-way flashers to indicate they are pulling over, and proceed to a well-lit area. They can then call 911 to verify which police officers are in the area.
‘And if someone shows you ID, look at it,? Narsh said.
‘We don’t know this guy’s motive, so this concerns us,? he added.
Anyone who has been stopped recently by an off-duty or plainclothes officer is asked to contact the LOPD at 693-8321, or email tipline@lakeorion.org