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KENTUCKY TODAY

Kentucky State Police at the Campbellsburg Post say they are investigating an allegation from a woman who says she was pulled over by a police impersonator who tried to pull her over for a traffic stop.

According to the KSP, last Saturday a woman contacted Campbellsburg Post 5 to report that while she was driving in Trimble County, a vehicle she identified as a black Dodge Challenger attempted to conduct a traffic stop on her. She advised a white male placed a blue light on top of the car and activated it.

The woman pulled over to the side of the road, at which time the male subject exited his vehicle and began to approach her vehicle with what she believed to be a knife in his hand. She then drove off and immediately headed to KSP Post 5.

At this time the only description the KSP says they can provide is that the vehicle may be a newer model black Dodge Challenger. The male is white and approximately 5’10. He was wearing a blue hoody and jeans at the time of this occurrence. The light on the vehicle was described as a rooftop magnetic light.

Kentucky State Police Post 5 is conducting an ongoing investigation into this event. If anyone has any information that could assist with this investigation, please contact KSP Post 5 at 502-532-6363.

A similar incident happened in Shelby County in March of 2019, in which a person who pulled over was robbed by a police impersonator. That led to Trooper Bernis Napier, who was the Public Information Officer for the KSP Frankfort Post at the time, offering some advice to Kentucky Today for anyone who believes a traffic stop is suspicious.

“If you’re unsure whether that is a police officer or not, I always recommend calling 911, if you have your cellphone handy,” he said. “Tell the dispatcher ‘There’s this vehicle behind me, I’m not 100 percent sure it’s a police officer. Will you let me know?’ That has actually happened before.”

Another tip: “Stop in a safe location,” he stated. “If you’re being stopped by a police officer, obviously pull over fairly soon, but do so in a well-lit area, such as a gas station, where there are other people. That’s always a good idea, and it’s also a good idea for the officer, as well. If you stop in an unsafe location, it’s dangerous for all of us.”