Decepticon cop; the other side
We got an email yesterday from Russell Matson, the lawyer representing the fellow who was arrested for impersonating a police officer a few weeks back. Russell wants you to know that his client wasn’t impersonating a law enforcement officer;
My client was issued a criminal citation and will appear at a Clerk Magistrate’s Hearing on Thursday, Sept 4 in Quincy District Court. The clerk will hear the facts and determine whether there is enough evidence to open a formal criminal complaint on a charge of Impersonating a Police Officer.
I believe the facts will show that my client did nothing that meets the criteria for this charge.
At no point did he represent himself as a police officer.
At no point did he attempt to pull anyone over.
My client does not and has never carried a gun or a badge, or dressed as a police officer.
The car itself, while certainly distinctive, did not have any blue lights like an actual police car. Despite decoration that make it look similar to a police car, it does not bear any official town or state seal of any police department.
The statute for impersonating a police officer MGL Chapter 268 Section 33 states that a person must “acts as such or requires a person to aid or assist him in a matter pertaining to the duty of such officer”.
My client did none of these things.
I’m thinking that right about now the arresting officer is feeling a bit of regret about this whole thing.
Category: Police
nahh, he jsut drove around by his own admission enjoying how it would make people “slow down” because they thought he was a cop, and that he was helping them out.
“Foster said the driver told Holt that he believed he was assisting the police “because other drivers noticed him and slowed down, thinking it was a police vehicle.”…”
Rich guy with money to blow playing dress up with his car.
I will say I don’t think he should have been arrested, but he was definitely enjoying seeing other peoples reactions when they thought he was a real cop.
If I were arrested for, charged with, or accused of anything criminal, I’d take my advice from the firm of Clancy & Makem.
It’s not his fault people are stupid. If people get paranoid about a black car with white doors following them………. oh well
by following I mean driving behind during normal driving, not specifically following 1 car/truck (the latter could be viewed as acting like police)
He could be charged with spreading that deadly virus, Black and White Fever.
Those facts are in the police report, but are disputed by the client.
He says he never claimed his was attempting to helping them or slowing people down.
English is not his first language, so that may be a factor.
I wonder if the Blues Brothers had any experiences like this.
To me, this no different than all of those surplus Crown Vics running around town still painted black and white and sporting spot-lights. No decals, no whoopee lights, no issue in most jursdictions.
One of my local Sheriff Department buddies has a black Toyota pickup with blue flashing lights in the grill. If I own a black Toyota pickup, I am impersonating a cop?
This is such a waste of taxpayer money and an embarrassment to that PD.
In regards to the Facebook comment above, Chevy is fucking pissed. Dude didn’t even have a fake badge or a radar unit on his dash and he’s got a story about him in a UK newspaper. Chevy was a MEATSHIELD! He wore the uniform, hell he even had a lapel mike for fuck’s sake! Chevy had BLUE LIGHTS, a mounted toughbook, AND a half eaten tray of doughnuts!! What more does he have to do? I guess he’ll have to go back into that moldy room and get out more CERTIFICATES! Grapevine, TX. PD royally screwed up. Way to go Cadre. No Justice! No Peace!
Um if the pic is of the actual car. It appears the owner had dressed the car to look like one from the transformers movie. Fail on apart of the cops in this case.
I hate to say it, but, “CASE DISMISSED!”
This is making the rounds at Dragon*Con right now. There is a guy there who looks like the “cop” actor in the car who made a similar replica (but used the actual car). He cleared his appearance with Atlanta PD and took a bunch of pictures with them, too.
Yah, I think when this is all played out, the policeman is going to spend many many shifts hearing: “Hey Joe? Pulled over any autobots today?”
IIRC, he was the Assistant Chief for that town.
So yeah, worse, if that’s even possible.
“Foster said the driver told Holt that he believed he was assisting the police “because other drivers noticed him and slowed down, thinking it was a police vehicle.”…”
I’m betting the context was more:
Officer: “do you not see why its wrong for your car to look kinda like mine?”
Driver: “not really, think of it this way – if anything, it makes other cars slow down, so you could say I’m helping you”
Probably closer to that, yes!
Thats a bit diff than a “confession” you deliberately do this to make others think you are Police.
I hope the city pays his attorney fees.
Not likely, I’m sure.
btw Russell Matson – I know a whole lot of college students that need to sue colleges, universities, administrators and teachers for denying them their civil rights in kangaroo court sexual assault trials.
You and your buddies would make millions!
Dear Russell J Matson,
We thank you from the bottom of our heart for representing our associate. Our company cars are not police cars, but have similar coloring to distinguish us from the real police.
Our job is to do investigations and to provide security. Your services have contributed to our associate doing a good job and representing Chevalier and Associates very well.
Cheese,
Dennis “The Blobfish” Chevalier
As a retired police chief (my second retirement) will have to go to church Sunday and beg for forgiveness, but have to agree with the attorney. Double checked the ORC for “personating a peace officer” and at least here a charge would not be reasonable. A lot of old black and whites running around and no one cares.
The Massachusetts statute requires that one “and acts as such or requires a person to aid or assist him in a matter pertaining to the duty of such officer” to be guilty of the charge.
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter268/Section33
The ONLY problem I can see with his car is “Speed Enforcement” on the back bumper. That is close to labeling you as some kind of Enforcement Officer. It’s a fine line and up for interpretation but that is all I can see wrong in this picture.
The cop was hoping to impound the car, claim it under forfeiture, and make it his cop car /sarc/
100% support LE, but this one ain’t gonna stand.
No, and it should have never been gotten beyond the “man, nice ride” stage.