SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — A Mastic Beach man was arrested after he was stopped on County Road 39 in Southampton and tried to impersonate a police officer, authorities said.
According to Southampton Police, officers stopped a driver on Thursday after seeing several vehicle and traffic law violations.
Brian Garcia, 56, asked for identification and presented a police badge, stating that he was currently employed by the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department. He later produced police identification, authorities said.
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Further investigation revealed that Garcia is not currently employed by the Suffolk Police Department and that the ID presented was fake, police said.
Garcia was arrested and charged with first-degree criminal impersonation, impersonating a police officer, a felony. second-degree criminal impersonation, a misdemeanor. and second-degree possession of a forged instrument, a felony, police said.
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He was taken to the city's Southampton police headquarters for processing, where he was held for morning arraignment, police said.
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