Man sought for impersonating police officer in Clayton Park
Police called to parking lot Sunday after receiving report of a suspicious person
Halifax Regional Police are investigating a report of a man impersonating a police officer in the Clayton Park area.
Police said they were called to the parking lot at 61 Chadwick Place around 1 p.m. on Sunday after receiving a report of a suspicious person.
Police said they were told the man was sitting in a light grey sedan and wearing a black hat with "RCMP-POLICE-GRC" written on it. The person who called police had asked the man why he was there, and he responded he was with Halifax police and was watching walking trails in the area.
Neither RCMP nor Halifax Regional Police had officers in the area at the time, according to a news release Monday from HRP. The man and the vehicle were gone when police arrived.
HRP spokesperson Const. John McLeod said "there was no indication of any imminent threat to public safety at that point," so police didn't immediately advise the public.
They issued a news release and posted on social media shortly before noon Monday, almost 24 hours after responding to the incident.
McLeod said investigators went through "normal operational channels" and decided to reach out to the public only when they felt it would further the investigation.
A gunman dressed as an RCMP officer killed 22 people in the province just last month.
McLeod said because of that tragedy, police "understand where people would be ... certainly more sensitive to these issues."
"But we investigated this as we would have any other circumstance reported to us of this nature."
People can ask officers to identify themselves
The man in the most recent case has not been identified. He is described as white, in his 50s, with a large build and grey mustache. He was wearing a black nylon zip-up shirt.
Police believe there may have been other people who witnessed the incident and are asking anyone with information or video from the area to contact them.
People can request proper identification from officers. In addition to officers presenting their identification card and badge, people can call 902-490-5020 to confirm the identity of a police officer, said the HRP news release.