A 42-year-old man from Gaithersburg has been taken into custody for allegedly impersonating a police officer after he attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a real officer in Montgomery County.
The incident occurred on June 15 when the officer, driving an unmarked police vehicle in Silver Spring, was approached by Melvin Pinkney Jr. in his Ford Taurus. According to police reports, Pinkney exited his car while wearing a holster and attempted to initiate a traffic stop.
Upon noticing the situation, the officer activated the emergency lights on his cruiser and exited the vehicle to engage with Pinkney. During their interaction, Pinkney claimed to be working security at a local restaurant and identified himself as an active-duty sheriff from the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office.
While Pinkney possessed a firearm and held a valid concealed carry permit, he failed to provide any official law enforcement identification. Authorities later confirmed that his vehicle was privately owned and not authorized for law enforcement use, rendering the lights he displayed illegal.
Detectives are currently investigating the case and believe there may be additional victims who were stopped by Pinkney while he was impersonating a police officer. They are encouraging anyone who may have encountered him to reach out by calling 1-866-411-8477.
Reported by HarborBeat based on WMAR-2 News (source).
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