'I Could Be Dead': Woman Avoids Becoming Victim Thanks To News Reports
WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. (CBS4)- One woman avoided becoming a victim of a fake police officer after watching news reports warning residents about an increase in police impersonation incidents.
There have been eight recent police impersonation cases along the Front Range. But the most recent was different than previous cases.
It happened about 6:35 p.m. Wednesday at a home in the 3900 block of Parfet Street near 38th and Kipling.
"Joanie" told CBS4's Howard Nathan, "If I hadn't watched the news and heard about this, I would not have called Wheat Ridge and let him in."
When asked what might have happened then, Joanie replied, "I don't know, I could be dead."
Wheat Ridge Police say in the past week, there have been three police impersonations reported along the Front Range, one in Wheat Ridge, another in Castle Rock and one in Denver.
Joanie said she had an uneasy feeling when the stranger came to her door on Wednesday. She looked through her front window and the situation felt uneasy so before she opened her front door, she latched the door chain.
The man knocked on her door and said he had some information about her son.
"I would freak out and say, 'Oh my gosh, something happened!' if he would have been in uniform, I would have opened the door and let him in," said Joanie.
She asked to see a badge, "So he showed me a badge through the crack of my door and I read it but I told him, 'You know, I need to get my glasses because I can't read it' and that was just a way for me to shut the door and call Wheat Ridge."
Police say real police badges will match where an officer says he's from, along with a state steal and possibly ID numbers. Police also say it's best to take a mental snap shot.
"Not only a physical description but how people present themselves, voice inflections can be important to us, if they have any tattoos," said Wheat Ridge Police Cmdr. J.D. Jepkema.
The experience has left Joanie shaken up, "I haven't slept in a couple of days, it's still scary."
The man left the area before the real officers arrived. He's described as white or Hispanic with short black hair and dark eyes. He's believed to be about 30 years old, 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds.
Additional Information from Wheat Ridge Police:
In this case the resident took exactly the right actions to protect herself and assist police with the investigation. When in doubt as to the validity of a person identifying themselves as a police officer an individual should:
- Not allow entry into the residence.
- Call the police immediately to verify the officer was sent or have a uniformed officer or supervisor come to the residence to verify the identity of the individual.
- Make careful observations to relate a good description of the individual, any vehicles involved, what was said, and a direction of travel if they are seen leaving.
- If in doubt do not depend solely on a badge or ID, these can be faked.
