Full Notification

West Manheim Twp. Police are investigating an incident involving a police impersonator that occurred Saturday June 06, 2011 at 10:00 p.m. A woman was stopped in the south bound lane of Baltimore Pike near Brunswick Drive by a vehicle displaying a flashing red and blue light on the dash. The vehicle was dark in color and similar in style to an unmarked police cruiser.

The impersonator approached the woman stating there was an equipment violation on her vehicle and she needed to follow him to the police station. She refused and the impersonator said “you need to follow me”. Recognizing something was amiss she pulled away and called 911 after driving a few miles from the location of the stop.

The impersonator is described as a white male in his 40’s with a scruffy/dirty appearance, approximately 6’ tall and 200 pounds. He has a large protruding chin, brown dirty hair, thick dark eyebrows, dark eyes, acne under his eyes and a distinctly crooked nose. He was wearing dark colored long sleeve shirt and long pants with baggy leg pockets. No patches, badge or pins were seen nor were a gun or other accessories noted on his belt.

Motorists who are signaled to stop by an unmarked vehicle and feel it’s suspicious may drive slowly to a lighted area, such as a business or location where others are present. Keep the doors locked and open the window enough to communicate until the officer’s authenticity is confirmed. While on patrol, officers typically wear a uniform that bears their department patch and/or badge. In addition, Pennsylvania Code requires officers in unmarked vehicles to show official identification if requested to do so, as long as the request is reasonable and the officer’s safety has been ensured.

This incident is similar to one in January where a male was stopped in the same area.

Working with a police composite artist the woman provided a detailed description of the impersonator resulting in the suspect sketch.