Authorities still searching for police impersonator in Reno County

August 08, 2011|By Megan Strader | KWCH 12 Eyewitness News

(HUTCHINSON, Kan.) — A week later, authorities in Reno County are still on the lookout for someone pretending to be a police officer.

The sheriff's office says someone in a white four-door car with a spotlight told a woman he was an officer and drove her around saying she was a suspect in a gas drive off.

It happened on Yoder road, just south the of the intersection with Highway 50.

"He eventually took her back to her car and apologized for any inconvenience and let her go," explains Detective Diana Skomal, Reno County Sheriff's Department.

She admits this situation ended much better than it could have, but that doesn't make someone impersonating an officer any less serious.

Without any suspects the sheriff's office wants the public to be aware of what happened and know how to avoid it happening to them.

It's important to remember that you have rights if you're getting pulled over. You can ask the officer for identification, you can continue driving to a more public place before pulling over or call 9-11 and verify that it is an actual officer pulling you over.

All things officers admit can be eaiser said than done. "They don't want to question the authority of the officer but they have to realize they have the right to do that. They have the right to ask who are you, why are you stopping me."

There's no way to tell if the man will try it again, so officers just hope they can catch him before he gets the chance to try.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Reno County Sheriff's office at 620-694-2666 or toll free 1-800-222-TIPS

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