Hemet Police seek victims of police impersonator, arrested Monday

HEMET – A man was arrested and charged with impersonating a police officer Monday, Aug. 15 after hearing from several victims about a man who was impersonating a police officer and pulling people over while driving a black Ford Crown Victoria, the same type of vehicle officers drive.

Based on the multiple victim statements, Hemet Police officers began actively searching for the man.

At about 11 a.m., Hemet Police officers located and detained Frederick Jenkins in the 1500 block W. Florida Avenue in Hemet.

When officers detained Jenkins, they found him dressed in full tactical gear and armed with a fully loaded, semi-automatic handgun.

Officers conducted a records check on Jenkins and discovered he was a convicted felon, which prohibited him from being in possession of a firearm or ammunition.

Based on several postings to social media, officers believe Jenkins had been acting as a law enforcement officer not only the day he was arrested but on previous days as well.

At least two people who encountered Jenkins were so suspicious of him they wrote about their encounters with the police impersonator on Facebook.

Andrew T., who declined to provide his name out of fear of being tracked down, was one of those who recently had an encounter with Jenkins while the alleged suspect was impersonating a police officer. Andrew wrote on social media that Jenkins conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle at the Target shopping center in Hemet.

“He followed us from Harbor Freight, and I did a few laps in the 99 cent store parking lot to confirm he was following us,” Andrew wrote. “By about the third lap he cut through some spaces and cut me off by pulling in front of me.”

“He said something. But I was already telling my girlfriend to call HPD,” Andrew explained. “I think he heard me because he took off so fast I didn’t even see which way he went.”

Andrew described that Jenkins was driving a Ford Crown Victoria and was wearing all black with a tactical vest and a handgun.

Lisa A. was also a witness to Jenkins’ illegal impersonation of an officer when she saw him at the Temecula Promenade Mall. Lisa saw Jenkins walk into the mall’s Apple store on Thursday evening, Aug. 11.

“It seemed odd because he didn’t have a security company sign on his car or on his uniform, yet he was dressed in black tactical gear with a GoPro on his chest and was armed,” Lisa explained. “I assumed he was a night-time Apple security guard when I saw a couple employees approach him in the store, but they did not seem disturbed by it.” 

Jenkins was released from jail within hours of his arrest after posting $10,000 bail.

The Hemet Police Department has asked that anyone who was contacted by Jenkins while impersonating a police officer contact the Hemet Police Department at (951) 765-2400.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]