A police routine check quickly descended into a scene out of "Cops" this weekend in San Diego, when officers attempting to address a vehicle with expired tags found themselves dealing with more than just a paperwork problem. The situation turned tense as the driver, a former parking enforcement officer, tried to use an out-of-state badge to avoid the consequences of his lapsed registration.
The incident began when Northern Division officers, responding to local concerns in a parking lot, encountered the man who refused to roll down his window, ignoring their requests. Once backup arrived, the driver finally emerged, flashing a badge that intended, but failed, to dissuade officers from delving deeper. According to the San Diego Police Department, the badge belonged to no sworn officer but rather a former parking enforcer from out of state.
Upon closer inspection of the suspect's car, which lacked the usual markings of police vehicles, officers discovered it was outfitted with illegal red and blue lights, a siren, and an air horn – mimicries of authentic law enforcement tools. The vehicle revealed an unregistered firearm, further complicating the scene.
The man's facade of authority was quickly stripped away as officers confirmed he had no current standing in law enforcement. Facing charges for impersonating a police officer, the poser was likewise arrested for the illegal accouterments found in his charade of a cop car.
