How To Spot A Fake Police Officer

The horrific shootings in Minnesota over the weekend have sparked concerns about safety, particularly given the news that the suspected shooter, Vance Boelter, impersonated a police officer as he approached his victims’ homes.

State Rep. Melissa Hortman (D) and her husband, Mark, were killed shortly after state Sen. John Hoffman (D) and his wife, Yvette, were wounded ― setting off a 43-hour manhunt that ultimately resulted in Boelter’s capture.

According to authorities, the suspect drove a fake police vehicle and was dressed like a police officer when he visited the Hortman and Hoffman residences.

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Although the attacks appear to be politically motivated, the nature of the crimes brings to light a question that applies to all citizens ― how do you know if a police officer at your door is real? HuffPost spoke to experts who shared what you should know when you encounter someone claiming to be law enforcement — particularly amid the current climate of mistrust and fear.

“If they’re a real-life, on-duty police officer in a uniform, they should have a badge with a badge number on it, they should have patches on their arms and probably a name tag on somewhere,” said Daniel Maxwell, a retired police officer and distinguished lecturer at the University of New Haven’s Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Science. “And there’s nothing wrong with asking for some identification. A real-life police officer is going to be more than willing to take that extra step to identify themselves.”

Indeed, law enforcement officers typically carry both a badge and photo identification, which can verify the officer’s position and credentials.

“You want to look for the photo ID card and some type of metal badge,” said Thaddeus Johnson, a former law enforcement official who is now a senior fellow at the Council on Criminal Justice and a professor of criminal justice and criminology at Georgia State University. “You can request an officer to show their badge, and you want to be able to look [at] it and be able to tell at least what department they represent.”

He emphasized the importance of seeing both components.

“The badges alone ― you can buy those online,” Johnson said. “The photo credential is harder to fake, but we know people are getting really smart.”

Indeed, faking police credentials and uniforms might be getting a little easier in the internet age. There are many news stories of people pretending to be different types of law enforcement officers, and the Minnesota case is a particularly glaring example of the consequences.

Under the second Trump administration, many police departments have also arrested suspects for allegedly impersonating immigration agents to harass and even kidnap immigrants.

“You’ve got all these people in what appears to be utility gear,” Maxwell noted. “They’re wearing masks. They don’t have any insignia on them. … If you’re not sure if someone in front of you is law enforcement, call 911, get in touch with the police department, the local police department, and they will help.”

Civilians aren’t necessarily experts on identifying real versus fake police uniforms and credentials. So if you’re not sure, reach out to authorities for verification that someone is, in fact, an officer on duty.

“You can call 911 and say, ‘There’s someone here identifying themselves as a police officer. I’m not sure who they are. Can you verify?’” Maxwell explained. “Whether you’re at home or somewhere else, even if you’re driving in your car, there’s nothing to stop anybody from calling 911 and saying, ‘Hey, I’m getting pulled over by someone who doesn’t seem to be like a cop to me, or I’m not sure.’”

If the situation isn’t terribly urgent, remember you can also call your local police department’s non-emergency number. The nearest dispatch center can see if there is an officer at your location.

“If the person is a real-life cop, they should be in constant communication with their headquarters and their dispatch, so they should be able to verify that for you,” Maxwell said. “If you’re not sure about anything related to the police officer’s identification or what they’re doing, the police department can walk you through it.”

Johnson echoed this advice, noting that you can ask the alleged police officer for a supervisor.

“You can give the officer’s name, note their badge and say, ‘There’s an officer at this address. Is this a real officer?’” he said. “You can ask them, ‘What’s your full name? What precinct are you with? Can I call your dispatcher? What’s the number to dispatch? You can check and verify, is the number you’re finding the same number they gave you?’”

In the case of the Minnesota shootings, the suspect was reportedly driving a fake police vehicle.

“In this particular case, there were no markings on the side of the vehicle indicating he worked for a specific agency,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told HuffPost. “Ensure the markings are for an agency that serves your area.”

He advised civilians to look for badges, patches and insignia on police uniforms and cars that indicate what agency they represent.

“It may be a little bit harder to fake a patrol car because it requires a financial investment, but some people have access,” Johnson said. “Still, in general, you want to look for a marked patrol car with reflective markings.”

He urged people to pay attention to the decals.

“Oftentimes you’ll see impersonators who’ve slapped on magnets, so they won’t be as flush with the paint job on the car,” Johnson explained. “A police decal should be flush. Maybe, if you’re at [a] distance, you can’t tell, but if you’re closer to your driveway, you can try to see if it looks like it’s just a snap-on decal magnet.”

Officers sometimes ride around in unmarked cars, but if that makes you feel uncertain about their legitimacy, you should call to verify.

“If you feel unsafe with an unmarked vehicle, you can ask them to send a uniform patrol unit out,” Johnson noted.

Until you can verify that a police officer is legit, you can maintain a safe distance. If someone has pulled you over on the side of a dark, empty road, you might ask to continue the interaction at a safe, well-lit location like a police or fire station.

When someone is knocking on your door claiming to be the police, you don’t have to just let them in.

“If you have not called the police, that’s another reason to be suspicious,” O’Hara said.

When you cannot clearly see who is at your door or anything else seems suspicious, he recommended calling 911 to verify rather than opening the door.

“I would talk through the door, or whatever security system you have to talk to people outside your home,” Maxwell said.

Make use of any peepholes or cameras you have. You can ask the officer to show their credentials through a window or crack in the door.

“You can ask, ‘Do you have a warrant for me? If you do, may I read it?’ Johnson said. “You can ask these types of questions. If someone’s at your door, you can keep your door locked and speak through your door or side window. If they have a warrant, ask them to hold it up to the camera or glass or to slide under the door.”

Take note if a self-identified police officer pushes back against requests for credentials or information. They should be prepared to provide information and lead you through these interactions.

“Any officer that’s worth their weight in anything won’t get riled up,” Johnson said. “They won’t be pissed off. They won’t get upset because citizens are asking these questions.”

For officers who are alone, you can ask if they have backup in the area or say you’re calling 911 or the local department for verification, and they should not become antagonistic.

“Particularly after these kinds of events, police departments are going to be mindful that people will be reluctant to answer doors and feel more cautious and reserved in dealing with officers,” Johnson said.

Both he and Maxwell expressed concerns with the recent events in Los Angeles, with federal immigration raids and the president ordering military intervention.

“One of the biggest problems right now is the general lack of trust the public has with their local law enforcement, and there’s a lack of communication that feeds into it,” Maxwell said. “In particular with the federal activity surrounding immigration stuff, they come in and do what they do, and then they leave. But the local police department is still there, and they have to deal with the aftermath and damaged relationship between the community and law enforcement. There’s a delicate relationship between the two, and fostering good relations can be difficult when there’s all of this extracurricular stuff going on.”

The erosion of trust is also worsened by the involvement of military forces that are not focused on civilian policing and maintaining long-term relationships with local communities.

“There’s already this mistrust, and the latest events only further [damage] it and [make] people ask, “Who do you trust?’” Johnson said.

“Don’t get defensive,” Johnson urged. “Just know you have a right to ask questions if you see red flags.”

Try to speak calmly and avoid escalating the situation.

“I would say, ‘Excuse me, I just need to verify who you are. I’m going to be calling your headquarters, just for my own safety,’” Maxwell advised. “A real cop not only will understand that, but a real cop will appreciate it because they don’t want to raise the temperature. They want to lower the temperature.”

Although you might understandably feel frustrated or frightened by the situation, Johnson recommended remaining cordial and calm as you safely await a second vehicle or supervisor.

“You just simply say, ‘Listen, I need more evidence that you are an officer. I will cooperate, but I don’t feel comfortable right now,’” Johnson said. “And that’s absolutely fine. Even when there’s a warrant, they don’t have to go in strong and kicking doors down ― unless there’s a big issue like someone being seriously injured or concerns about people destroying critical evidence.”

Ultimately, he urged civilians to pay attention to red flags and address them, but try to avoid a freakout.

“People get upset and afraid,” Johnson said. “People don’t trust police. Just know, for the most part, if somebody’s coming to your door, it’s probably going to really be a police officer. But you can still go through these steps. You have a right to ask these things, and they should understand why. If not, then there’s much bigger issues than just that.”