Springdale police are looking for a man they say may have pretended to be an officer while carrying out a traffic stop on a woman earlier this week.
A woman contacted the Springdale Police Department on Monday to report that a man claiming to be a police officer stopped her vehicle while she was driving near the Sprindale rodeo grounds on East Emma Avenue. His vehicle, which looked like a white Ford Crown Victoria, had blue lights, the woman told police.
The man approached the woman’s car during the traffic stop and identified himself as “Sergeant,” said he stopped her for not wearing a seat belt and demanded to see her driver’s license, according to the Springdale Police Department.
The woman began questioning him, at which point he became agitated and tried to open the woman’s driver-side door. The door was locked, and the man got back into his car, after which the woman left, she told police. She later contacted Springdale police about the incident.
Police said they are not sure whether the man was a Springdale police officer and are investigating the incident. He may have been a civilian pretending to be an officer, police said.
The alleged officer is described as a white male in his 30s, with brown hair that appeared to be longer than the typical officer might wear it, the woman said. He is about five feet, eight inches tall, with dark eyes. He was also clean shaven, the woman told police.
The suspect wore a gun and badge, but did not appear to be dressed like a Springdale officer, according to the alleged victim.
Investigators are reviewing surveillance video of the area and will release more information as it becomes available, according to the Springdale Police Department.