# 14-year-old charged with impersonating a cop



## Pelorus (26 Jan 2009)

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6623808



> January 25, 2009 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- *Chicago police say a 14-year-old boy has been charged with impersonating a police officer after he allegedly dressed up in a regulation uniform and reported for duty at a South Side police station.*
> 
> The boy worked with a partner in a squad car overnight.
> 
> ...




Emphasis mine.


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## PMedMoe (26 Jan 2009)

> *Brock says this is not the first time her son has impersonated an officer. She claims he did it before and was never prosecuted.*



Maybe he should be prosecuted this time.   :


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## helpup (26 Jan 2009)

It's amusing, scary and embarassing for the PD. And right now I cant a similar scene out of my mind where a pre teen in Ottawa dresses up as a Cerimonial Guard and shadow's the parade.  His Mom did a good job on the uniform as well.


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## Journeyman (26 Jan 2009)

What if his "partner" had needed backup?
What if he'd had to intervene in a crime, or in some other way protect society?
Why didn't mom know he was gone overnight?
After he'd impersonated a cop before, why didn't someone take his uniform away and impress upon him the seriousness of his actions?

I'm sure there's more to the story -- although we're unlikely to get it from the kid since it's obvious he's an accomplished/compulsive liar.
But from what's here......sorry, I don't see it as remotely amusing.


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## Pelorus (26 Jan 2009)

Indeed.


For me, the most confusing part of the story (at least based upon the information presented in the article) is why an individual leaving the building to start patrol without a badge or firearm didn't arouse suspicion, especially with the partner who had a long time to figure things out.

Time will tell I suppose.


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## PMedMoe (26 Jan 2009)

Journeyman said:
			
		

> What if his "partner" had needed backup?
> What if he'd had to intervene in a crime, or in some other way protect society?



What if he'd been shot "in the line of duty"?  I'm sure his mother wouldn't be quite so blasé about it.


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## geo (26 Jan 2009)

Methinks that "partner" wasn't all that "switched on" that she didn't turn around and haul this child's a$$ back into the station within 5 minutes of being paired with him....

WRT this wannabe.... prosecute his a$$.  It's the only way he's going to learn to stay in his lane &  leave it to the profeswsionals


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## helpup (26 Jan 2009)

Journeyman said:
			
		

> What if his "partner" had needed backup?
> What if he'd had to intervene in a crime, or in some other way protect society?
> Why didn't mom know he was gone overnight?
> After he'd impersonated a cop before, why didn't someone take his uniform away and impress upon him the seriousness of his actions?
> ...



Well that is my sense of humour, I can find humour in most things. It didn't have all those repercussions you mentioned although I agree fully that it could of.  Since it didn't and I can have and will continue to find humour where I see it.   The Force that it happened on will undoubtedly be held more accountable and in future may even learn to never underestimate the power of people to be stupid.


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## dapaterson (26 Jan 2009)

Given the history of Chicago politics (and Illinois politics for that matter), I suspect no one would be surprised to see a 14 year old on the payroll - they'd only be surprised that they showed up for work at all.

Nepotism and corruption are not unique to New Orleans...


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## FormerHorseGuard (26 Jan 2009)

after living in the US of A for 5 years, ( now home in Canada)   I have a few questions. Why did no one notice this "Officer" was not carrying his side arm? I found police officers in the States were very  much into carrying their weapons  on and off duty.  Everyone who works for the city or other levels of government there all carry  some sort of badge. I  would think some one might notice he did not have his on , no uniform inspections before shift?

Did no one notice he was not wearing a protective vest? Or does the Chicago Police not require them? I sort of figured that lack of bulk look from the vest  would  be a give away in this matter and no weapon, no badge just the icing on the cake. Figured the lack of personal safety  equipment is important and wuld be checked.
I think the Female officer should be educated and demoted, the Officer who assigned the kid to her should be demoted and educated on what  a fully  turned out Police officer looks like when on duty and what  he/ she should look for when assigning officers to work for the day. 


Does this mean  just anyone can show up and be assigned a police car and a patrol zone with no questions asked?
just my  thoughts.


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## kkwd (26 Jan 2009)

If i had not seen this story from multiple sources I would have thought it was a bad joke.
Here is another article about the event.

 Link to original article



> Boy who impersonated cop had done it before
> January 26, 2009 1:00 PM | 6 Comments
> 
> The 14-year-old Chicago boy charged with impersonating a Chicago police officer had been arrested at least once before for the same thing, according to the minister who acted as the boy's temporary guardian last year.
> ...


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## Smirnoff123 (26 Jan 2009)

I think that it's surprising that the kid even knew who to talk to once he was in the station.


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## kkwd (26 Jan 2009)

Here is a Chicago Police news conference of the event.
 Video


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## Smirnoff123 (26 Jan 2009)

> I think that it's surprising that the kid even knew who to talk to once he was in the station.


Nevermind, I guess he would of known what to do because he was in a police program.


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## Journeyman (26 Jan 2009)

I figured more of the story would come out in the fullness of time.

Let's see....he's done this _three_ times now...as a 14-year old, he's been living in a shelter after being charged with battery against his mother.....he _sometimes_ "does not think everything through"......

Got it. These adolescent shenanigans are merely his 'acting out' because we, as a society, have let him fall through the cracks. Our fault.

Hmmm.....yet he does so "well within the structured situation of his home and church" (glad I'm not the Standards O on that call  :  ). Maybe the "structured situation" of juvenile prison will just charm him to bits.....the little imp


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## helpup (27 Jan 2009)

This is still amusing. I just wonder if anyone of the people involved are going to learn.  I.E the PD, City, Courts, Parents, and more importantly the little " IMP"  that muscular 5'3'' Lil Devil >


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## PMedMoe (7 Mar 2009)

More news regarding this incident.

CHICAGO - Chicago police said Tuesday a 14-year-old boy who posed as an officer drove a patrol car and aided in an arrest and seven officers face disciplinary reviews for the "lax" behaviour that allowed the teen's escapade to happen.

Article Link

"They weren't paying attention," Supt. Jody Weis said at a news conference announcing the completion of the investigation.

"They were lax. I'm very upset." "This whole incident is very disturbing." The teenager, an aspiring police officer, allegedly wore a uniform and entered a South Side police station through an unlocked back door around 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 24. He was issued a radio and rode with a patrol officer for more than five hours, at times using the terminal in the squad car and responding to five assignments, Weis said.

Authorities previously said the teen did not drive a squad car but Weis said Tuesday the boy - who is too young to drive in Illinois - spent two hours behind the wheel. The boy also helped in the arrest of a suspect who allegedly violated a protection order.

"He brought the arm into the middle of his back so handcuffs could be placed on him," Weis said.

The boy returned to the station at 7:37 p.m., when a supervisor discovered the teen was not wearing a complete uniform and had no weapon, Weis said. The teen was arrested at 7:40 p.m.

"This is absolutely unacceptable," Weis said. 

"We were very fortunate that a lot of tragic things didn't happen." The boy has pleaded not guilty in juvenile court to impersonating an officer. He is no longer in custody but must wear an electronic monitoring device. 

More on link

I can't believe this kid pleaded not guilty.


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## Greymatters (7 Mar 2009)

PMedMoe said:
			
		

> I can't believe this kid pleaded not guilty.



Im sure in the kid's mind he thinks of himself as 'not guilty' - society likely has a surprise in store for him...


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## geo (8 Mar 2009)

PMED,
The kid did not impersonate an officer in that he simply wore the Cadet uniform that he was issued... which is near exactly like the regular uniform.... W/O the badge & gun.

Maybe, just maybe it wasn't a good decision to have these uniforms so similar.  In Montreal, the cadet uniforms' shirt is WHITE, the sleeve badges clearly spell out CADET... no mistaking that


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## PMedMoe (8 Mar 2009)

geo, are you talking about a totally different case??



> It was Saturday at 1:30 p.m. that police say *the 14-year-old boy reported for duty at the 3rd district. The teenager was dressed in a full authorized Chicago police uniform*, although he was not wearing a C.P.D. star on his sweater, nor was he carrying a gun.
> 
> *The boy was partnered with a female officer. They went out for about five hours on traffic duty before heading back to the station.* It was there that a sergeant questioned the boy about his identity and also why he wasn't wearing a star.



If that's not deliberate impersonation, I don't know what is.


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## Smirnoff123 (8 Mar 2009)

> PMED,
> The kid did not impersonate an officer in that he simply wore the Cadet uniform that he was issued... which is near exactly like the regular uniform.... W/O the badge & gun.


I thought he purchased the uniform at a shop?


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## North Star (8 Mar 2009)

I've been a little distrubed how here in Canada some security firms are adopting uniform items normally reserved for real peace officer (ei the trouser stripe). I also recently heard that a man out west kidnapped a young girl by impersonating a police officer. As much as this needs to be punished, this kid sounds a little messed up, but not beyond help. 

My 2 cents.


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## geo (8 Mar 2009)

> Watkins said that the boy had been involved in "a police explorers" program in the Grand Crossing District for about 18 months but was removed from the program after the December 2007 incident. He said the boy loved police shows on television, especially "COPS," and played video games that had police themes.



Whups, I stand corrected... I took the above to mean that he had a cadet uniform... later post indicates that he picked up the suit at a uniform shop.

I am still surprised that, after being caught previously, he was allowed to retain the suit.


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