Berkley Resident Arrested for Impersonating a Police Officer
TAUNTON — A distraught female entered the Taunton Police Department on Monday to report that a male party had brandished a police badge, identified himself as a police officer, and that she felt he was following her around.
She stated that a few months ago while at Starbucks in the Target store, she and the alleged police officer exchanged brief conversation and since that time, she noticed that he would coincidentally be at that location almost every time she was there. The victim jokingly made reference to him that he was stalking her, and she would have to call the police. The suspect male party then lifted his shirt to display a police badge. The victim stated she felt safe that he was a police officer.
The coincidental appearances at Target’s Starbucks store increased, even though she would stop there at varied days and times. The suspect male would park within a close proximity to her vehicle. The victim explained that the male party drove a black Ford Explorer with police equipment on the outside.
The victim stated that when she felt uncomfortable with the male party's frequent appearances, so she decided to change Starbucks and began visiting their location on 65 Depot Drive.
Soon after her decision to change Starbucks locations, the male party known by Starbuck employees as “Kevin the Cop” showed up in the parking lot.
The victim became more alarmed and, although first believing he was a police officer, noticed that his attempt to engage her in conversation was laced with sexual comments.
The victim photographed the suspect’s registration plate and vehicle before driving to the Taunton Police Department. She explained that the vehicle was in the parking lot at Starbucks at the time she was reporting it to the police.
Commanding Officer Lt. Nichols dispatched police cruisers to the area to attempt to locate the black Ford Explorer. When Officers arrived, they located a black Ford Explorer with tinted windows equipped with a push bar on the front, Police Interceptor sticker on the vehicle adorned with multiple strobe lights and multiple antennas. Officer Dan Williams indicates in his report that, but for the vehicles registration belonging to a Berkley resident, the Explorer displayed an authentic presentation of a police vehicle.
When Officers Williams and Gomes approached the vehicle, it was running. They made contact with the operator. During their conversation, both officers observed the interior of the vehicle to be equipped with a center console equipped with radios, a cage separating the front seat from the rear seats and multiple items commonly used in in police work that included but not limited to handcuffs, a Tough Book laptop computer, multiple flashlights and other police-style equipment.
The radios inside the Explorer were found to have access to local police and fire frequencies, that allowed him to not only receive information but to communicate as well, which is prohibited by federal law.
The driver of the Ford Explorer was identified as Kevin Cook, age 46, of Berkley.
Based on this information, along with many other seized items in his vehicle, Cook was arrested and transported to the Taunton Police Department.
He is being charged with multiple civil motor vehicle violations, as well as impersonating a police officer, criminal harassment, possession of burglarious tools and disturbing the peace.
--Taunton Police Department