Arkansas Volunteer Arrested For Impersonating A Police Officer

Posted by: Curt Varone May 4, 2020 0

An Arkansas volunteer firefighter has been charged with impersonating a police officer after he allegedly used emergency warning lights on his personal vehicle to pull a vehicle over.

Michael Lindsey, 20, was arrested Saturday evening after a complainant reported Lindsey “flew up behind them and turned on his blue lights that were on top of his car as if he was trying to pull them over.” Lindsey was with the Northside Fire Department.

When initially questioned by Independence County sheriff’s deputies,  Lindsey claimed the lights in his vehicle’s light bar were red. When the deputy discovered the lights had a setting that allowed them to flash blue, he was arrested and charged with criminal impersonation.

Independence County Sheriff Shawn Stephens, who is also the Fire Chief of the Northside Fire Department, issued a press release stating Lindsey has been removed from the department and all NFD equipment seized.

More on the story.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
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