CANADA - OPP looking for man pretending to be a police officer, Wellington County, April 2020

[BearCatSafari]

Given what recently transpired in Nova Scotia, I hope people read this article and are conscious of this when they're out driving around. Please share this news with others. Be safe folks.

OPP looking for a man pretending to be a police officer

Published Wednesday, April 22, 2020 6:20AM EDT

KITCHENER -- The OPP is warning the public that police are not stopping people to check their "essential worker" status after receiving complaints about a man impersonating an officer in Ontario last week.

OPP looking for a man pretending to be a police officer

 

[BearCatSafari]

Police say they have received multiple complaints from citizens who have been stopped by a man in an unmarked vehicle who claims to be a police officer.

The man is described as white, 30 to 40 years of age, with short dark hair, and an unshaven face. He was wearing a black long sleeve shirt and a ballistic vest with “POLICE” in yellowish-orange letters across the front and back.

He was driving a black, four-door, sedan, with a blue strobe light on the dash and a small aerial antenna on the trunk.

Man sought for impersonating cop, pulling drivers over: OPP - CHCH

 

[lucidtx]

We had a string of police impersonation incidents here in Colorado a few weeks ago. This article from earlier this month is interesting:

Police impersonators driven by stress, uncertainty as coronavirus spreads

"This uptick in police impersonators is likely driven by the stress of the coronavirus pandemic, a need to exercise some control over uncertain circumstances and perhaps, a predisposition among imposters towards authoritarianism, experts said."

I'm guessing that people who already have these tendencies and a problematic need to control others are reacting to feeling a loss of control due to the pandemic. Pretty scary and unexpected phenomenon.

 

[dotr]

Thanks for starting this thread, BearCatSafari!

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitc...-wellington-county-essential-worker-1.5540770

''On April 14, a man who was wearing a black long-sleeve shirt and a ballistic vest with the word "police" in yellow-orange letters across the front stopped a driver. He asked the driver for proof they were an essential worker.''

"The driver provided him with the information requested. The suspect then returned to his vehicle and left the scene," OPP said in a release.

Wellington OPP says it has received more than one complaint about this happening.

The man is described as being between 30 and 40 years old, with short dark hair in a brush cut, and unshaven facial hair. He was seen driving a black four-door sedan, possibly a Ford Fusion or Ford Taurus. On the dashboard there was a blue strobe light and there was a small aerial antenna on the trunk.''

 

[BearCatSafari]

Complete speculation: I wonder if this impersonator saw what happened in Nova Scotia over the weekend and had an "oh crap" moment and decided to pack it in, at least for the time being. Seems he hasn't pulled anyone over since last week.

 

[flipflop]

The article posted above happened on April 14th, 4 days prior to the events in N.S. This link has more events that happened in the same area in ON in early April.
Residents complain of ‘power-tripping cop’ stopping vehicles with two or more people

 

[flipflop]

Complete speculation: I wonder if this impersonator saw what happened in Nova Scotia over the weekend and had an "oh crap" moment and decided to pack it in, at least for the time being. Seems he hasn't pulled anyone over since last week.

This happened 4 days before.

 

[BearCatSafari]

This happened 4 days before.

Yes I know. What I mean is, this person, in Ontario, was going about impersonating a police officer. I wonder if they have since stopped given what happened in Nova Scotia due to realizing the severity of their actions has just been amplified ten fold. Big difference between getting caught impersonating a police officer before last Sunday, and getting caught doing it now. Police will be extraordinarily cautious and forceful now. Last week, not as much.

I was stating they haven't been reported to have pulled anyone over since last week to support the idea that they've since thought better of it, because of the events in NS and haven't done it again since.

 

[flipflop]

Yes I know. What I mean is, this person, in Ontario, was going about impersonating a police officer. I wonder if they have since stopped given what happened in Nova Scotia due to realizing the severity of their actions has just been amplified ten fold. Big difference between getting caught impersonating a police officer before last Sunday, and getting caught doing it now. Police will be extraordinarily cautious and forceful now. Last week, not as much.

I was stating they haven't been reported to have pulled anyone over since last week to support the idea that they've since thought better of it, because of the events in NS and haven't done it again since.

Yes I agree. The other article I posted happened April 2nd, same area. Then April 14th from the one you posted.

 

[joshmxpx]

Additional incident FYI:

April 13, 2020 330-345 pm
Eastbound 401, Tyendinaga Twp.

Black 4 dr sedan, push bar, blue light from drivers side visor, no red lights, no other lights

Approx 2017-2018 MY
No markings, no roof lights, tinted/blacked out windows
Ontario plate

"Officer" 5'10"-5'11", blond, short hair, clean shaven, under 200 lb
Oakley sunglasses
Black/blue button up, no shoulder flash
Yellow reflective vest, bullet proof vest, "POLICE" on front, nothing attached to vest
Duty belt with gloves, flashlight, cuff pouch, no FA/CEW/baton
Radio on belt, no mic cord, no ear piece

Only asked "Are you essential worker?"
Did not take ID/Licence/etc

Unknown if related or linked to Wellington incidents.

Info from trusted source

 

[dotr]

Additional incident FYI:

April 13, 2020 330-345 pm
Eastbound 401, Tyendinaga Twp.

Black 4 dr sedan, push bar, blue light from drivers side visor, no red lights, no other lights

Approx 2017-2018 MY
No markings, no roof lights, tinted/blacked out windows
Ontario plate

"Officer" 5'10"-5'11", blond, short hair, clean shaven, under 200 lb
Oakley sunglasses
Black/blue button up, no shoulder flash
Yellow reflective vest, bullet proof vest, "POLICE" on front, nothing attached to vest
Duty belt with gloves, flashlight, cuff pouch, no FA/CEW/baton
Radio on belt, no mic cord, no ear piece

Only asked "Are you essential worker?"
Did not take ID/Licence/etc

Unknown if related or linked to Wellington incidents.

Info from trusted source

This guy has been charged, but not the other one..yet.
Puslinch man accused of impersonating police officer
April 24, 2020

Gregory Calvin Smith, 25, of Puslinch Township, was charged by Wellington County OPP with personation of a peace officer on Wednesday, April 22, 2020.Facebook

''Smith was charged with impersonating a peace officer.

Sources describe Smith as a licensed amateur radio hobbyist with a specific interest in commercial two-way radios.

The Sun also learned the vehicle owned by Smith is a decommissioned OPP Ford Explorer Police Interceptor, purchased from a southern Ontario auto dealer in early 2017.''

 

[joshmxpx]

This guy has been charged, but not the other one..yet.
Puslinch man accused of impersonating police officer
April 24, 2020

Gregory Calvin Smith, 25, of Puslinch Township, was charged by Wellington County OPP with personation of a peace officer on Wednesday, April 22, 2020.Facebook

''Smith was charged with impersonating a peace officer.

Sources describe Smith as a licensed amateur radio hobbyist with a specific interest in commercial two-way radios.

The Sun also learned the vehicle owned by Smith is a decommissioned OPP Ford Explorer Police Interceptor, purchased from a southern Ontario auto dealer in early 2017.''

I do now recall reading this article somewhere, just wanted to post the additional incident as it was very similar in nature and in same time period, although apparently different vehicle and MO

Actually, reading the articles again, it appears the person in the original post was in a sedan pulling people over. The article you linked mentioned a suspect in an SUV yelling at people over a PA system, so completely different.

 

[LadyL]

Another police impostor, this one arrested in Puslinch say OPP

Another police impostor, this one arrested in Puslinch say OPP

 

[LadyL]

I read about two different episodes - the article quoted police as saying there were two different perps but now I can't find the article

I'm confused now - how many incidents have there been and where?

there's one in Kitchener, several in Erin, and one in Puslinch?

 

[LadyL]

We had a string of police impersonation incidents here in Colorado a few weeks ago. This article from earlier this month is interesting:

Police impersonators driven by stress, uncertainty as coronavirus spreads

"This uptick in police impersonators is likely driven by the stress of the coronavirus pandemic, a need to exercise some control over uncertain circumstances and perhaps, a predisposition among imposters towards authoritarianism, experts said."

I'm guessing that people who already have these tendencies and a problematic need to control others are reacting to feeling a loss of control due to the pandemic. Pretty scary and unexpected phenomenon.

yeah but their decommissioned police vehicles were bought before Covid so they were obsessed to begin with

 

[joshmxpx]

I read about two different episodes - the article quoted police as saying there were two different perps but now I can't find the article

I'm confused now - how many incidents have there been and where?

there's one in Kitchener, several in Erin, and one in Puslinch?

Those and the one I described above, which was in Belleville area.

I do believe the Puslinch one was separate and isolated, as it was a SUV and involved the "officer" yelling over a PA at pedestrians, not a sedan pulling cars over

 

[joshmxpx]

Another incident from Kingston Police, took place April 24, 9 am

Black SUV stopped on off-ramp for Montreal. Male wearing police vest approaching each vehicle, asking for ID, place of employment, and whether person was an essential worker.

Male, 40s, stocky, 5'10", brown eyes, scruffy hair, black vest with POLICE on front, no use of force observed.

Black SUV, unknown make/model.

Several other vehicles had stopped for apparent "officer."

 

[dotr]

April 26 2020
‘It’s bizarre’: OPP doesn’t know how many fake coronavirus cops are out there. Here’s how to protect yourself
''The OPP has “no idea” why there are people pretending to be police officers and stopping motorists to check their essential worker status during the coronavirus pandemic.

So far, Wellington County OPP has released information about two suspects, including one who has already been arrested and charged, but Const. Cheri Rockefeller says there certainly could be more than one impostor still out there.

“There are other people that have had these same experiences. We cannot rule anything out at this point,” Rockefeller told The Banner.

“It’s bizarre,” she explained. “We have no idea why. Are they wannabes? Are they power tripping? Are they doing it for other sinister reasons? We have no idea.”

What to do if you think you’re being stopped by a fake cop
April 27 2020
''• If you feel you’re being stopped by someone impersonating a police officer and fear for your safety, call 911 and provide your location.
• Do not get out of vehicle.
• Lock your door.
• Crack your window low enough to pass your licence and registration.
• Ask the officer for further identification (i.e., badge).
• Ask them to call dispatch on their radio in front of you to verify that the officer is not fake. Ask for another officer to attend that location.

Other points to consider when being pulled over include:

• Slow down, put four-ways on or signal to let the officer know you see them. Drive to a well-lit area with people around if possible.
• Be observant: Is the officer wearing a full police uniform or a plain clothes officer with a badge? Is he or she professional looking as opposed to unkempt?
• What does the police vehicle look like? Is the cruiser equipped with proper emergency equipment or does it look old, broken down or like something bought at a police auction?

Yes, it sucks that police officers now have the additional burden of people suspecting that they aren’t even actual police, but such is the world we live in.''

 

[lucidtx]

yeah but their decommissioned police vehicles were bought before Covid so they were obsessed to begin with

Yeah, what I meant is that the stress of the pandemic seems to be setting off people who already have a problematic obsession with policing/authority and control.

 

[LadyL]

Yeah, what I meant is that the stress of the pandemic seems to be setting off people who already have a problematic obsession with policing/authority and control.

or they're not stressed out but just taking advantage of the situation