FREDERICK COUNTY — A police impersonator is targeting the Frederick County area.
Throughout March and April, Frederick County Sheriff Office deputies and Brunswick Police Department officers have responded to calls of a police impersonator making illegal traffic stops throughout the county.
One recent encounter occurred on Sunday, April 11 on Route 340 around 6 p.m. An unidentified driver was pulled over by a black SUV with a single blue LED light bar.
The “officer” was wearing khaki pants, a black hoodie, black baseball cap, black face covering, and a black tactical vest without any agency identifier on it. The driver describes him as a stocky male with black hair and a southern accent.
When the “officer” approached the vehicle he did not identify himself with an agency and asked the driver if there was any narcotics, guns, or bombs in the vehicle.
The driver stated he did not have any of that but did have prescription pills. The “officer” asked for the pills and the driver’s identification, and the driver complied handing both over to the “officer.”
Upon handing the driver’s identification back, the driver asked the “officer” for his identification. The “officer” went back to his SUV, with the prescription pills, and took off at a high rate of speed.
When checked with the Maryland State Police and FCSO, there were no accounts of a completed traffic stop in that area. Additionally, just recently Brunswick Police Department officers responded to a similar call with a black SUV that matched a lot of the same identifying information as this stop.
In an effort to assist our county motorists, here are some helpful tips of what to do if you are involved in a traffic stop:
- If it is dark outside, pull over in a well-lit area
- Look for a uniform and if the officer is in plain clothes, look for some sort of agency identifier
- If there is no agency identifier, politely ask the officer for their proper identification
- If they don’t provide you the proper identification, ask if you can contact the police dispatch center to verify the stop. For FCSO that number is 301-600-1046
- Pay attention to what the officer is asking for (license, registration, proof of insurance)
- Don’t get out of the vehicle, unless the officer is verified and has asked you to do so
- Lastly trust your instinct, if the stop feels “off,” then contact the FCSO dispatch at 301-600-1046 or 911.
If you have experienced a traffic stop like this within the county or have any information that could help, contact the FCSO at 301-600-1046.
