Ex-cop sought by police for allegedly impersonating active officer in Gwinnett
An ex-cop is being sought by police for allegedly impersonating an active officer, Channel 2 Action News reported.
Keith Kirkland worked for the DeKalb County Police Department in 2012 and then worked for Emory University Police for four years before he was fired, Channel 2 reported.
On Monday, Gwinnett County police obtained a warrant for his arrest after he allegedly approached a Lawrenceville woman, held up a fake badge and demanded title information on a vehicle she had sold three years earlier, the news station reported.
.@GwinnettPd say: Keith Kirkland impersonated a police officer when he showed up at a couples home armed with a gun and a bogus badge. Now they want your help finding him. Story coming up LIVE on CH2 | @wsbtv. pic.twitter.com/77DNlFRmzk
— Nefertiti Jáquez (@NefertitiWSB) September 12, 2018
The homeowner, Meserret Malde, told Channel 2 Kirkland pounded on her door on August 27 asking for the title to a minivan she had previously sold.
“He said, ‘I’m a police officer,’ and he said, ‘I have a badge. If you don’t believe me, this is who I am,’” Malde said.
A man is charged for impersonating a cop, after @GwinnettPd say, he showed up at this woman’s home questioning her about an old car title. How the victim reacted could help you if faced with the same situation. Details @ 11PM @wsbtv. #nightbeat pic.twitter.com/fLYvVNDJFY
— Nefertiti Jáquez (@NefertitiWSB) September 12, 2018
She called 911, and police spoke to Kirkland, who had a fake badge and gun tucked into his waistband, the news station reported.
He allegedly told police he was a DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office reserve deputy, and since they they couldn’t confirm it at the time, he was let go, Channel 2 reported.
However, the news station reported Kirkland is not currently employed by any law enforcement agency.
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About the Author
Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.
