A Washington state man, Michael Scaletta-Teates, is accused of impersonating a police officer and responding to several emergency calls in full uniform. He is a convicted felon.
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According to a release issued by the Bremerton Police Department (BPD), police contacted Scaletta-Teates after he arrived at an active police scene. He arrived in an unmarked vehicle with blue police lights, the BPD said.
Allegedly, he identified himself as an off-duty Edmonds Police detective. The BPD detailed that he was wearing body armor with “POLICE” and “SWAT” logos, alongside an Edmonds Police badge.
Body camera footage obtained by KOMO News shows the moment Scaletta-Teates talked with responding police officers. One Bremerton officer told him, “I thought you were like one of our detectives at first.”
At first, police officers were not concerned about who they believed was a legitimate officer. However, the following day, their suspicions began to accumulate.
As reported by KING 5, police reencountered Scaletta-Teates, arriving at a 7-Eleven for a trespassing call.
“Nothing occurred to create concern,” the BPD said in a statement shared with KING 5. “Our suspicion began after the second contact with Teates. Because of this, more follow-up was done.”
Not A Cop
The BPD would later find out that Scaletta-Teates was not a police detective. Reportedly, he works as a security guard for the Salvation Army, KOMO News reported, as well as with Stephen Group International.
Witnesses then told police that they found it odd that a supposed police officer would check people into a homeless shelter. One witness allegedly said, “He was intimidating last night, he told my friends to shut up and keep walking.”
Allegedly, Michael Scaletta-Teates had been responding to multiple emergency calls while impersonating an officer. He was taken into custody after he failed to provide a valid ID, and police found that he was a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and a “large amount of police equipment.”
The faux officer was charged with first-degree criminal impersonation and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. He was booked into the Kitsap County Jail, and his bail was reportedly set at $50,000.