APD: man was responding to police calls, identifying himself as a detective
Weird: Albany police say a 19-year-old man has admitted to responding to "several dozen" police calls over the past year, representing himself as a detective.
From the APD press release:
On Tuesday evening just after 5:00 p.m. officers investigating a person with a gun call were involved in a brief foot pursuit that led to a arrest for criminal trespass at 273 Third Street. Officer [Michael] Geraci was one of the officers who responded to the call and he located a handgun on Thornton Street. Several minutes after the call went out [Ryan] Mann showed up to the scene on Thornton Street. ...
Mann was wearing eye glasses, had on a blue fleece jacket, dress shirt and tie, khaki pants and shoes. He had a bullet proof vest on and was carrying a portable radio, similar to one that police officers carry.
Officer Geraci initially questioned him at the scene and Mann was brought to the detective division to be interviewed. Mann admitted to responding to several dozen calls over the past year, mostly in the Center Square area. He monitored police calls through a phone application that scans police transmissions, carried a police badge from Oakland, California and would identify himself as Detective Ruff when he encountered people in the public.
The APD says Geraci nabbed Mann after recognizing him from responding to other police calls in the Lark Street area.
There is no indication at this time that Mann specifically targeted anyone or anything for gain or that he was a threat to anyone. He was scheduled for a mental health evaluation.
Mann has been charged with criminal possession of stolen property, but for the moment, not impersonation. APD says it's still investigating.
More details in the full press released pasted after the jump.
APD: Man responding to police calls
A 19 year old Jay Street man was arrested this past Tuesday evening for possessing a stolen portable radio from Albany Medical Center after he showed up to a gun call on Thornton Street dressed like a detective and with a bullet proof vest on.
Ryan Mann, of 175 Jay Street, was arrested by Officer Michael Geraci after the officer recognized him as being the individual who was responding to police calls in the Center Square neighborhood over the past several months.
On Tuesday evening just after 5:00 p.m. officers investigating a person with a gun call were involved in a brief foot pursuit that led to a arrest for criminal trespass at 273 Third Street. Officer Geraci was one of the officers who responded to the call and he located a handgun on Thornton Street. Several minutes after the call went out Mann showed up to the scene on Thornton Street.
Officer Geraci immediately recognized him from responding to police calls in the Lark Street area.
Mann was wearing eye glasses, had on a blue fleece jacket, dress shirt and tie, khaki pants and shoes. He had a bullet proof vest on and was carrying a portable radio, similar to one that police officers carry.
Officer Geraci initially questioned him at the scene and Mann was brought to the detective division to be interviewed. Mann admitted to responding to several dozen calls over the past year, mostly in the Center Square area. He monitored police calls through a phone application that scans police transmissions, carried a police badge from Oakland, California and would identify himself as Detective Ruff when he encountered people in the public.
Mann was charged with Criminal Possession of Stolen Property 5th. He was arraigned in Albany City Criminal Court Wednesday morning.
There is no indication at this time that Mann specifically targeted anyone or anything for gain or that he was a threat to anyone. He was scheduled for a mental health evaluation.
Mann has not been charged with impersonation at this time and the investigation is continuing.____
(Thanks, Erik)
photo: Albany Police Department
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Comments
I hope that the mental health evaluation proves helpful to young Detective Gruff, which I can only assume is a reference to Ruff McGruff. He certainly did try to take a bite out of crime http://www.mcgruff.org/
... said Stef on Jan 13, 2012 at 11:54 AM | link
Weird. Does that sort of make him a vigilante? I admit there's a romanticism to it that makes me kind of want to pat the guy on the back. On the other hand, what he did was reckless, foolish and incredibly dangerous. However, I'm finding it hard to be angry at a guy who was, in his incredibly strange way, trying to keep my neighborhood safer.
... said Summer on Jan 13, 2012 at 1:51 PM | link
That's why I wear a cape and mask, not a police badge.
... said Tim on Jan 13, 2012 at 2:55 PM | link
Mr. Holmes?
... said Andrew on Jan 14, 2012 at 11:25 AM | link
The judge should sentence him to the Albany Police Academy, where he can become a real cop.
... said Jiminy on Jan 14, 2012 at 1:02 PM | link