Alleged police impersonator pulls woman over in St. George, demands she exit vehicle

August 13, 2017 Utah Channel 3

ST. GEORGE — Police have responded Monday to a report of an individual who may have been impersonating a police officer to make a traffic stop in St. George. Word of the incident began making the rounds on social media over the weekend, leaving some members of the community on edge.

The St. George Police Department is actively investigating the alleged police impersonation incident that occurred just before 9:30 p.m. Saturday, St. George Police Officer Lona Trombley said.

“In regards to this incident, we are actively investigating who this person could be,” Trombley said. “At this time, we have not determined that it’s one of our vehicles, but we can’t speak for every agency.”

According to the post on social media, a woman was traveling on Brigham Road and turning onto Hidden Valley Drive when she was pulled over by a white, unmarked, four-door, older-style sedan with a red rotating police light placed on the dash.

The man appeared to be wearing a police-style uniform when he approached the woman on the left side of her vehicle and asked her if she knew why he pulled her over, according to the post, which noted that the man did not ask the woman for her identification or insurance information.

The woman had already become suspicious of the alleged officer when she told him she had been speeding and that he must have been mistaken.

“He then demanded she get out of the car,” the post read. “She told him she would not, rolled up the window, locked the car and called (someone she knew). He started banging on her window with his flashlight hard enough that she was afraid he would break it, all the while, demanding she get out.”

When the woman made the phone call, the man believed by the woman to have been posing as a police officer “ran back to his car and sped off.”

The woman filed a police report shortly thereafter.

Police recommend calling dispatch at 435-627-4300 if a motorist in St. George is concerned that the person who pulled them over may not be a law enforcement officer, Trombley said, noting that the St. George Police Department does utilize unmarked patrol vehicles although she was unclear how many.

Trombley added that there would not be a penalty for calling 911 in a situation in which a motorist is scared or concerned.

“Police officers should always have a badge and an identification on them, especially if they’re making a traffic stop so, ask for those,” Trombley said. “An officer would understand your concerns and there would be no penalty, of course, for asking for the proper identification, especially if an officer is not dressed in a normal patrol uniform.”

The man involved in Saturday’s incident is described as having a muscular build and being around 6 feet tall with brown eyes and light brown hair. The man was reportedly wearing a dark blue button-up police-style uniform shirt with numbers or writing on the right breast and a badge of some kind on the left pocket.

“If something like this happens,” Trombley said, “call dispatch and file a report so we can follow up and determine the validity of the incident.”

The following is a copy of the original social media post regarding the incident:

Hello Neighbors,

Just wanted to make you aware of a predator that is in the area posing as a police officer. Jaime was returning home from Walmart this evening and was pulled over for a supposed speeding stop as she was turning from Brigham road onto Hidden Valley at about 9:20 pm. He was not in a marked car with a light bar. He was driving an older white sedan and using a red rotating light he put on the dash.

He appeared to be wearing a police style uniform. He approached Jaime on the left side of the vehicle and asked if she knew why he pulled her over. He did not ask for identification or insurance information. At this point she was already a bit suspicious. When she replied that she did not know he said she had been speeding. She told him that she was not speeding and that he must have been mistaken.

He then demanded she get out of the car. She told him she would not, rolled up the window, locked the car and called me. He started banging on her window with his flashlight hard enough that she was afraid he would break it all the while demanding she get out. Once she connected to me. He ran back to his car and sped off.

We have contacted the police and it has been confirmed that her plate was not run at all. It was definitely a person posing as a police officer.

Here are the details of the vehicle and person. White 4 door sedan – possibly a Dodge Intrepid. Vehicle only used a red rotating light and did not have a spot light. The guy was around 6 ft brown eyes and light brown hair. Muscular build. Wearing a dark blue button up police style uniform shirt. Numbers/writing on the right breast and a badge of some kind on the left pocket. If you see anything suspicious please alert the police.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or witnesses and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Email: kscott@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews