Cop Impersonator Pulls Shield, Phony ID During Southampton Traffic Stop, Police Say

A routine traffic stop led to a Long Island man in handcuffs, accused of impersonating a police officer.

County Road 39 in Southampton.
Photo Credit: *Google Maps street view*

09/28/2024 2:35 p.m.

Southampton Town Police stopped a driver for alleged vehicle and traffic law violations on County Road 39 in Southampton on Thursday, Sept. 26.

When the officer asked the man for his ID, he presented a police shield and claimed to work for the Suffolk County Police Department. He then presented a police identification card.

An investigation revealed that the driver, 56-year-old Brian Garcia, of Mastic Beach, was not employed by the agency and the ID card was a fake, police said.

Garcia was arrested on suspicion of the following:

Criminal impersonation – impersonating a police officer (felony)
Criminal impersonation in the second degree (misdemeanor)
Possession of a forged instrument (felony)

Under New York State law, a conviction for impersonating a police officer carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison, and fine of up to $5,000.

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