‘Public safety officer’ assists in traffic stop – but he wasn’t a cop, GA police say
Armed with his gun and badge, a Georgia “officer” stepped in to assist police during a felony traffic stop in metro Atlanta last week.
But the gun was a fake and so were his credentials, according to Cartersville police.
Justin Greene, 29, was arrested in Bartow County on Wednesday, Feb. 23, and charged with impersonating a police officer, authorities said in a news release. Greene claimed he was a “public safety officer,” police said, and flashed a phony firearm when he tried helping officers with a stop on Feb. 18.
He “attempted to assist officers in bringing two suspects into custody at gun point” and left the scene before anyone could identify him, according to the release.
Greene was arrested days later in what looked like an unmarked squad car “complete with lights and a siren,” authorities said. Officers also seized several items from the car, including more fake firearms, tactical gear and authentic-looking Georgia police credentials.
Greene was booked into the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office Jail, where he remained held on $12,000 bond as of Thursday, Feb. 24, online records show. He also faces charges of willful obstruction of a law enforcement officer, reckless conduct and unauthorized vehicle with red/amber lights.
Cartersville is about 40 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta.
This story was originally published February 24, 2022 at 2:34 PM with the headline "‘Public safety officer’ assists in traffic stop – but he wasn’t a cop, GA police say."