On September 30, 2024, at approximately 9:05 pm, Selkirk RCMP received a report that a female driver was stopped on Highway 9 in Petersfield, Manitoba by a male identifying himself as an off-duty RCMP officer. He was driving a pickup truck with emergency lights when he pulled the female over. He accused the female of speeding, but soon left the scene when asked to present identifying information.
Officers did patrols to attempt to locate the described vehicle, but the vehicle was not located.
The next morning, October 1, 2024, at approximately 11:35 pm, Selkirk RCMP received another report of the same type of incident occurring the previous evening on Highway 9 near Clandeboye at approximately 8:00 pm. The male personating an RCMP officer advised the female driver she had been speeding and using her bright lights. Again, when asked for identification, the male left the scene.
Investigators were able to determine an address for the suspect and attended to that residence on Highway 9 in the RM of St. Andrews at 1:10 pm on October 1, 2024. After speaking with the suspect, a search warrant was prepared. It was executed by Selkirk RCMP, the RCMP Emergency Response Team, and the RCMP East District Crime Reduction Enforcement Support Team on October 3, 2024.
A 32-year-old male was arrested for Personating a Peace Officer, and numerous items were seized from his residence, including lighting equipment for a vehicle, pepper spray, portable radios, and firearms. He was released on an Undertaking with a court date.
"While this is a rare occurrence, we take this type of incident very seriously," said Selkirk RCMP Detachment Commander Inspector Chris Lambert. "Thanks to the victims reporting the incidents, we had the information we needed and were able to identify the suspect quickly and arrest him shortly thereafter."