Florida man pretending to be police pulls over real police, ends badly, claim cops

First rule of being a fake cop, don't hassle real cops

A Florida man has been arrested for impersonating a police officer after pulling over an actual police officer, cops have said.

Lee County Sheriff's Office in Fort Myers, Florida, said one of its off-duty sheriff's deputies was driving down Interstate 4, which connects Orlando and Tampa, when a black Ford sedan – a Crown Victoria – with emergency lights flashing pulled in behind him.

The deputy pulled over, the Florida force added, and the car drew alongside, with the driver telling the off-duty cop he needed to "slow down".

The police alleged that when the deputy asked the driver, Barry Lee Hastings Jr, for some ID, Hastings said he'd left his credentials down at the station.

Hastings then reportedly told the deputy he could follow him to the station to check. Finally tiring of the back-and-forth, the cops said the deputy called 911, at which point Hastings drove off.

He was arrested when he left the freeway in Fort Myers, which incidentally was the town used as a backdrop to the classic 1985 George Romero zombie film, Day of the Dead.

His motor was fitted with white and amber lights, a siren box and CB radio, but contained no weapons or handcuffs, said police.

Hastings has been charged with impersonating a public officer. ®