In this video, bodycam footage shows a young man in jeans and a vaguely authoritarian shirt leaning into a driver’s window. The bodycam wearer quietly approaches on foot, as if acting as backup on a stop in progress. But it soon becomes clear the two “officers” don’t know each other and, well, perhaps you can guess the rest.
There’s a fine comic moment not far in:
“What’s your name?”
“Brenden Wysynski.”
“How do you spell that?”
“B. R. E. N. D. E. N.”
Fire and Police Videos obtained lapel footage of an Albuquerque Police Department investigation and arrest of 18-year-old Brenden Wysynski for posing as a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office deputy.
Wysynski unlawfully pulled over a citizen for speeding and a passing Albuquerque Police Officer noticed something was off about the traffic stop.
He had pulled over a citizen of Albuquerque in his personal vehicle that was outfitted with lights, sirens, and radio bought off the internet. APD and BCSO Officers determined he did not work for any police department and was placed under arrest.
Wysynski is being charged with impersonating a peace officer. His trial is later this month.
If you are not sure the person pulling you over is a law enforcement officer, call 911 or pull into a very public parking area and ask to speak to a supervisor.
Some people who pretend to be cops in this manner are rapists or robbers, but there’s a pattern of narcissistic people doing it for kicks. One man took it to Philip K. Dick levels of extremist cosplay, establishing his own police station to take victims to.
At one point Wysynski denies being a “Whacker“, which is (of course!) cop talk for what he is.