Community Corner

Police Say Man Who Stopped Redlands School Bus Was in Fact a Sworn Cop

Redlands police said over the weekend they were seeking info about a man who apparently impersonated a police officer when he pulled over a Redlands Unified School District bus on Citrus Avenue on Friday May 17, but today, Thursday May 23, they said the man was a sworn law enforcement officer performing a legal traffic stop.

In a statement May 23, Redlands police spokesman Carl Baker said the man "was a sworn officer for another regional agency." In response to followup questions about what agency the man works for, Baker responded, "We are not disclosing that information."

According to info distributed Saturday May 18 by Redlands police, the driver of the Redlands Unified School District bus had just exited Interstate 10 at University Street and turned west on Citrus around 2:40 p.m. Friday May 17.

The bus driver then stopped because a man in a silver sedan with blue and red flashing lights in the windshield was behind her, according to police.

"The driver of the sedan approached the school bus driver, identified himself as a police officer and showed a gold, star-shaped badge," Redlands police said. "The suspect returned to his vehicle and drove away when the victim said she was calling the California Highway Patrol."

The man was wearing a light blue, button-up long sleeve shirt and tan pants, and he had an identification card clipped to his shirt with the word "Investigator" written in red across the top. His vehicle was described as a silver, newer model 4-door sedan, possibly a Chevrolet or Ford with flashing red and blue lights under the rear view mirror.
On Thursday May 23, Baker announced that Redlands police had confirmed the man was a sworn officer for another regional agency.

"The officer disputes the bus driver's report that he did not identify himself and that he drove away when she told him she was calling the California Highway Patrol," Redlands police said. "Investigators determined that the traffic stop was a legal stop and the officer, exercising his discretion, did not issue a citation to the bus driver."

Baker urged anyone with information about crime or suspicious activity to call Redlands Police Dispatch at (909) 798-7681. Anonymous tipsters can text 274637 using the keyword "REDTIP." Certain non-emergency crimes may also be reported using the police department's CopLogic online system at http://ci.redlands.ca.us/police/coplogic/start-report.html.


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