EAST LANSING, Mich. – The East Lansing Police Department (ELPD) is currently investigating an incident that occurred in the City of East Lansing involving a suspected police impersonator.
On March 27, 2017, an individual reported to ELPD that, while walking home, he was stopped by someone he thought was a police officer near the Saginaw-Harrison intersection at approximately 5:20 p.m. After further investigation, ELPD officers determined that the individual who stopped him was not a real police officer. The individual said he was approached by the suspected impersonator and questioned as to why he was in the area. The suspected impersonator quickly left the area after noticing that he was being videotaped by a third party. There was never any physical contact or an attempted abduction.
The suspect is described as a white male in his late 20's to mid 30's, approximately 6’ tall with green eyes, close-cut brown hair and a small birth mark or scar on his right cheek. At the time of the incident, he was wearing a royal blue police-style uniform with a dark stripe down the leg of the pants. The uniform had a red and blue patch with a gold shield on the sleeves. The suspect was armed with a handgun holstered on his left side.
The suspect’s vehicle is described as a white Ford Taurus with overhead lights and the words "police" and "Lansing" on the side.
"ELPD investigators would like to speak to the two individuals that potentially videotaped this encounter in hopes of identifying the suspect,” said ELPD Lt. Steve Gonzalez. “We are also asking anyone else with further information about this incident or a related incident to contact us.”
Individuals with information can contact the ELPD Detective Bureau at (517) 319-6884.