A suspected police impersonator is facing potential charges after an off-duty RCMP officer spotted him allegedly conducting what investigators believed to be a traffic stop in West Kelowna.
On Saturday (May 1) at around 3 p.m., an off-duty officer noticed a non-police vehicle with what appeared to be police lights in the grill. The vehicle appeared to have another car pulled over near the intersection of Highway 97 and Drought Road in Peachland.
The concerned off-duty officer reported this to the West Kelowna RCMP. A frontline officer attended and located the suspicious vehicle, and initiated an investigation.
It was found that white smaller sized SUV had strobing lights on the dash, consistent with police vehicles.
While dealing with the driver, the officer noted signs of alcohol consumption, and open alcohol was located inside the vehicle.
The driver, a 64-year-old man, was taken into custody and later released on conditions for a future court date. He was also issued a 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition and his vehicle was impounded under the BC Motor Vehicle Act.
The investigation is ongoing, and the full file will be submitted to the BC Prosecution Service for a fulsome review and charge assessment.
“RCMP is appealing to anyone who witnessed this incident, or has any other information that may aid our investigators to contact the West Kelowna RCMP,” said Cpl. Jocelyn Noseworthy, Media Relations Officer for the Kelowna Regional RCMP Detachment.
“We will be looking into potential connections with other reports of possible police impersonation. At this time, we have not established any direct links.”
Anyone with information can contact the West Kelowna RCMP at (250) 768-2880.
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