Suspicious Traffic Stop Turned Out To Be Sworn Officer
REDLANDS – Investigators have determined that early reports of a police impersonator that pulled over a Redlands Unified School District bus last week has been resolved. Police announced on Monday that it was a sworn law enforcement officer that performed a legal traffic stop.
The driver of the RUSD bus had reported to Redlands police that she had been pulled over by someone impersonating a police officer, said city spokesman Carl Baker. The bus had just exited Interstate 10 at University St., turned west onto Citrus Ave. at about 2:40 p.m. on May 17 when the driver was pulled over by a silver sedan with blue and red flashing lights in the windshield, said Baker.
The officers stopped the bus within a block of the Redlands School District bus yard.
Initial reports are that the driver of the sedan approached the bus driver, identified himself as a police officer and showed a gold, star-shaped badge. The suspected imposter returned to his vehicle and drove away when the bus driver said she was calling the California Highway Patrol.
Police confirmed that the driver of the sedan was a sworn officer for another regional agency. Baker said the officer disputes the bus driver’s report that he did not identify himself and that he drove away when she threatened to call the CHP.
Investigators determined that the traffic stop was legal and the officer, exercising his discretion, did not issue a citation to the bus driver.
Police issued descriptions of both the driver of the sedan and the vehicle. The sworn officer had an identification card clipped to his shirt with the word “investigator” written in red across the top.
Baker said there have not been any reports of similar incidents “for years” and were under “different circumstances.”
Read More:
Banning-Beaumont Patch: Police Say Man Who Stopped Redlands School Bus Was in Fact a Sworn Cop
Press-Enterprise: Police impersonator sought – pulled over school bus
KABC: Police impersonator halts school bus in Redlands
