14-Year-Old Fakes Way Onto Chicago PD
Boy showed up in official uniform, arrested
Monday, Jan 26, 2009 | Updated 12:38 PM PST
A 14-year-old boy showed up at a South Side police station in full uniform until he was caught and charged with impersonating an officer.
A 14-year-old boy showed up for work as a Chicago police officer over the weekend, went out on part of a shift and ended up charged with impersonating an officer.
And he has reportedly done it before.
Rev. Roosevelt Watkins, a South Side Minister who took in the 14-year-old for 11 months after the boy’s mother kicked him out of the house for being defiant, told a Chicago radio station he wasn't surprised.
Watkins told WBBM the teen was arrested in 2007 for impersonating a police officer and again last month at the Ford City shopping mall while wearing a police uniform.
On Sunday, Chicago Police say the boy came dressed up in a regulation uniform and worked five hours of a shift at the Grand Crossing District police station.
He reportedly was able to get a police radio, ticket book and ride with an officer for several hours before being questioned by a sergeant who realized his true identity. Because the boy had been in a "police explorer" program where he shadowed officers, he was able to follow procedures with out being noticed.
The department's internal affairs division is investigating.
Posted Monday, Jan 26, 2009 - 10:21 AM PST
