Man Arrested After Attempting to Impersonate Police Officer, Pulls Over Undercover Vehicle

Counties Manukau Police arrested a 38-year-old man following an extraordinary incident in which he attempted to impersonate a police officer by equipping his vehicle with a flashing red and blue light bar and attempting to pull over an unmarked police patrol car.

Manakau Police Station / File

Officers on duty noticed a station wagon following their vehicle and displaying police-style flashing lights, attempting to signal them to pull over. The officers initially were confused about the situation, quickly determining that the vehicle behind them was not an official police car. Upon realizing he had targeted an actual police vehicle, the impersonator attempted to flee the area to avoid apprehension.

Police officers pursued the fleeing vehicle a short distance before apprehending the driver without incident. The man now faces charges of impersonating a Police officer and excess breath alcohol under the Policing Act 2008. He is scheduled to appear in the Manukau District Court on December 24.

Inspector Kerry Watson from Counties Manukau Police noted that the arrested man had a breath alcohol reading exceeding twice the legal limit. Watson emphasized the severity of the offense, describing the combination of police impersonation and significant alcohol impairment as particularly serious. The impersonation itself violated the Policing Act 2008, which prohibits representing a vehicle as a police vehicle or falsely claiming police authority.

The incident raises questions about identifying legitimate unmarked police vehicles. Unmarked police vehicles typically display identifying markers such as antenna configurations during daylight hours, though these features may not be obvious in low-light conditions. The New Zealand Police continue to encourage the public to call 111 for emergencies and 105 to report criminal activity after the fact.