An East Hanover Township man has been charged with impersonating a public official after he was found to have firefighter gear, a metal security badge and an identification card from an Ocean County fire department in his possession, according to the Hopewell Township Police Department.
The man walked into the Hopewell Township Police Department headquarters to report an incident of harassment on Aug. 4. He told the police officer that he worked for a fire remediation service and had responded to a house fire in Hopewell Township earlier in the day.
While he was there, an employee from another remediation service began yelling at him and accusing him of impersonating a police officer because he was wearing a tactical-style vest and a badge worn around his neck. He was still wearing the badge, which identified him as a member of a Morris County fire department.
Based on statements he made during his conversation with police officers, they requested permission to search his vehicle. They found firefighter gear, a metal security badge and an identification card from an Ocean County fire department.
Police called the Morris County and Ocean County fire departments and confirmed that the man was not a member of either department. He was charged on a summons with impersonating a public official.
