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Fake Cop press release

Alicia Leonard avatar
Alicia LeonardSoWal Insider
2,404 views
I and many of my girlfriends on FB got an email yesterday about this guy. I called the SO to see if the email was true. Their PIO did some research, got back to me and we held the press, so we could include this release. Be safe out there ladies. I've had something similar to this happen to me and it can really shake you up for awhile. Thank you to the lady who sent out the original email. Glad you trusted your instincts and drove away.

Press Release​
Fake Cop ​
Freeport, FL (September 1, 2009) –

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office and Niceville Police Department continue to look into two cases of a person imitating a police officer over the weekend. The same suspect is believed responsible in both incidents.

The first stop occurred around 6:30 Saturday night at the intersection of State Highway 20 and Evans Street in Niceville. A young woman reports that a 2007 green impala with a red and blue light pulled her over. The vehicle also reportedly had a gold star decal on its side. The suspect is described as a white male, wearing black slacks with a gold star on his jacket. He also had on a ball cap. The man asked the driver her age, and then went back to his car and left the scene.

Several hours later, the vehicle matching the same description made a stop along the State Highway 331 bypass, just north of Freeport. At around eleven o’clock, the woman driver became suspicious and called the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. The driver left the scene, and the suspect drove away in the opposite direction heading south on Highway 331.

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office advises motorists that they should be aware that unmarked vehicles are used in law enforcement. Those unmarked vehicles are equipped with several lights, normally in the grill and upper windshield area.

If a person is concerned about the validity of an unmarked vehicle trying to stop them, that person should go at a normal speed to a lighted area where people are present. They may also call the Sheriff’s Office at 892-8111 to see if an unmarked vehicle is making a stop. Marked and unmarked law enforcement vehicles in Walton County are required to call out their location while making a traffic stop.

Edited

Replies

14
Miss Critter avatar
Miss CritterBeach Fanatic
#2
Aleo, will that release be sent to area high schools, as well?
Alicia Leonard avatar
Alicia LeonardSoWal InsiderAuthor
#3
They sent it out to all the media outlets late yesterday. I'd like to say a big "Thank You" to the WCSO PIO Mike Gurspan. He hunted down the call-in records from Sat. night and put everything together to get the info to us in just a few hours late yesterday. I know he and everyone else there are a little tired after the last weekend. Good job!

Edited

Jdarg avatar
JdargSoWal Expert
#4
Aleo, will that release be sent to area high schools, as well?


Good idea.
Gidget avatar
GidgetBeach Fanatic
#5
THX - gonna put that # in my cell!!

G
scooterbug44 avatar
scooterbug44SoWal Expert
#6
I was always taught that you only pull over for marked vehicles in well traveled and well lit areas AND that if you feel ANYTHING IS AT ALL ODD you call dispatch and check.

Anyone can buy a flashing light at stores like Spencer's.

Far too often women become victims because they are afraid to "make a fuss" or are worried about looking stupid. Criminals know this and take FULL advantage. :angry:

Put the local Sheriff # in your phone and when you are traveling remember that most states have a number poste don major roads that you can call for emergencies - like *FHP here.

Edited

Matt J avatar
Matt JSWGB
#7
If you think it's not a legitimate officer call 911. I would call that an emergency.
bluemtnrunner avatar
bluemtnrunnerBeach Fanatic
#8
I added the walton county sheriff as a friend in facebook. I'm getting a lot of information through that. This popped up the other day on the page.
Alicia Leonard avatar
Alicia LeonardSoWal InsiderAuthor
#9
I added the walton county sheriff as a friend in facebook. I'm getting a lot of information through that. This popped up the other day on the page.


I love their FB site. They do a good mass mailing with their info as well. This release went out after five yesterday and I heard from other friends that it was picked up in Pensacola at 6 p.m.
ShallowsNole avatar
ShallowsNoleBeach Fanatic
#10
Good time to remind our children - and everybody - not to stop for ANYBODY flashing them down at night. Not even if someone pulls up beside them, motioning that their tire has something wrong with it. Take the chance that there is something actually wrong with your tire and keep going.

I posted my story on Walton Uncensored and got ridiculed, but here goes...back when I was young and blonde and pretty, I went to Hardee's (now Whataburger) in DFS with my friends after class. I said goodbye and headed down dark, lonely 331 to go home. A few minutes later, a small white truck came up behind me, flashing its headlights. I thought it was my friend's boyfriend and pulled over. It wasn't him. It was a guy, exposing himself, and as he approached my car I saw he had a knife. I took off, and he FOLLOWED me. When I got to the city limits of Freeport, he turned around and went north again. I was safe, but I never forgot his face.

After I married Fuzz, I was thumbing through some FDLE profiles he had and suddenly, there was the guy from the side of the road. I stammered something and found out who it was.

Inmate Population Information Detail

Fuzz knew him well. They grew up together. And I'm very lucky to be here.
seagrovegirl avatar
seagrovegirlBeach Fanatic
#11
Good time to remind our children - and everybody - not to stop for ANYBODY flashing them down at night. Not even if someone pulls up beside them, motioning that their tire has something wrong with it. Take the chance that there is something actually wrong with your tire and keep going.

I posted my story on Walton Uncensored and got ridiculed, but here goes...back when I was young and blonde and pretty, I went to Hardee's (now Whataburger) in DFS with my friends after class. I said goodbye and headed down dark, lonely 331 to go home. A few minutes later, a small white truck came up behind me, flashing its headlights. I thought it was my friend's boyfriend and pulled over. It wasn't him. It was a guy, exposing himself, and as he approached my car I saw he had a knife. I took off, and he FOLLOWED me. When I got to the city limits of Freeport, he turned around and went north again. I was safe, but I never forgot his face.

*****************************************************************************************

How SCARY!!! SN, I am so glad you sped off. We both know how easily women become prey...If I knew how to do it, I would post the creep that is still in jail sice 1976...that got a hold of me. I went to hell and back, but I am alive and mentally healthy, thank you God, and family.

Maybe this is TMI, but timely....I was 13, abducted from Ed Walline Park in Dune Allen, raped and left for dead in the woods off of 395 just N of Seagrove. I crawled about 5 miles barefoot, because he took my shoes because he didnt think Id ever see the light of day again. I made it to Seagrove and knocked on someones door at about 12AM to get help. He still had my 10 yo friend with him. Former Sherriff Quinn McMillan took me to the hospital and stayed with me until I was released. (He was a deputy then)

The warning is, if it is a stranger, dont go near him/her, especially if no one else is around. We live in a small community and we are fairly trusting. This was 33 years ago, when crime was unheard of here. The search for me was the talk of the town for a year! Please teach your children safety and caution.

Someone impersonating a cop....GRRRRRR!!!!! Dont stop for an unmarked car, ever!!! Go slowly, call 911 and get to a lighted populated area if possible. I dont think an unmarked car should be pulling anyone over!!!!! EVER. Unmarked patrolman, call in a marked car to get a speeder for gosh sakes! Or move on.
sunspotbaby avatar
sunspotbabySoWal Insider
#12
SGG, thanks for sharing your story. I knew you were tough, now i know why. Take care. :wave:

p.s. what became of your friend that was with you?
seagrovegirl avatar
seagrovegirlBeach Fanatic
#13
SGG, thanks for sharing your story. I knew you were tough, now i know why. Take care. :wave:

p.s. what became of your friend that was with you?

My 10 yo friend was rescued at 5AM in the creeps truck, a cop found the vehicle and cornered him at JD Miller's gas station on Hwy 98 (station no longer there).

As a side note, this creep was bad A$$, he escaped from Walton Co. jail and came looking for me, while he was at it, he did more horrible stuff to other people. So he still sits in prison away from the general population.

The purpose of writing this, is that it happens here, it happens everywhere. Be cautious and teach your kids to be cautious. And, consider personal safety, ie; gun, taser, pepper spray, martial arts, etc...and know how to use it.

I really have a big beef with the unmarked car pulling women over. That practice should stop.
scooterbug44 avatar
scooterbug44SoWal Expert
#14
I only pull over for uniformed officers in marked cars - and any law enforcement official who doesn't like it can take it up with Mama Scooterbug (seriously).

She spent decades dealing with people who had been through horrific incidents like Seagrovegirl's and there is nothing like a frantic 4 am call asking if you have pepper spray because some girl your age just got left in a dumpster to die to make the lessons stick!

The police would much rather you gave them a call to verify than have to find what is left of you in a ditch.
ShallowsNole avatar
ShallowsNoleBeach Fanatic
#15
SGG, my knowledge of what happened to you is part of what made me cautious enough to give myself time to get away. After that incident, I was actually followed twice more on separate occasions in different areas. 😱 But I never pulled over again.

And I agree about the unmarked cars (even though Fuzz drives one in plain clothes). By and large, though, the unmarked vehicles don't pull folks over unless it is something horrifically blatant and there is not a marked unit anywhere nearby. Even then, they will not mind if you call dispatch and check up on them as they have to call in when they make a stop.

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