Tumwater Police warn of fake officer who allegedly pulled someone over
A person posed as a police officer and conducted a traffic stop in Thurston County Thursday morning, authorities say.
About 4 a.m. Thursday, a driver was pulled over by an unmarked, white Crown Victoria with flashing lights after turning south onto Littlerock Road Southwest from 93rd Avenue Southwest, Thurston County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Roland Weiss told The Olympian.
The area is on the edge of Tumwater.
“Please be alert for a person posing as a police officer,” a Facebook post from Tumwater Police Department reads.
A man wearing a dark-colored button-up shirt with Seattle police patches reportedly approached the driver’s window, Weiss said. However, the driver reported the man was missing a few key props: He did not have a badge, name tag, radio, or gun belt.
He asked for her license and registration and told her she and the car she was driving matched the description of a stolen car and its driver, Weiss said. He went back to his car, came back, and returned her license and documents before asking her to step out of the car, according to Weiss.
But the driver was feeling uncomfortable, Weiss said, because the uniform didn’t look quite right and the “officer” didn’t seem to be asking routine questions. She told him she was calling 911 to verify, and he returned to his car and drove away, Weiss said.
According to Tumwater PD’s post, dispatchers confirmed no traffic stops were happening in that area.
The man’s car was missing its front license plate, and the driver didn’t catch its back license plate number, Weiss said. She reported that the Crown Victoria looked like an old police car somebody might buy at an auction.
The driver was described as a white man in his 30s with dark hair and medium build.
“If you are ever concerned that an officer who contacts you may not be a real police officer, call 911,” the Tumwater Police post reads. “911 dispatchers will be able to verify whether the officer is legitimate. Thurston County law enforcement officers will never be offended if you verify their authenticity.”
Anyone who sees a car driven by a man matching the description is asked to write down the license plate number and call the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line, 360-704-2740.
This story was originally published July 30, 2020 at 12:24 PM.
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