South Charlotte bar safety guard posed as CMPD officer for years, proprietor says – WSOC TV

CHARLOTTE — The proprietor of a South Charlotte bar says he was duped for years by a person who labored as a safety guard on the enterprise by posing as a police officer.

Earlier this week, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Division introduced that they arrested 29-year-old Stephen Burke Bridges for impersonating an officer utilizing a stolen badge.

Bridges allegedly took photos of himself posing as a CMPD officer and posed as an officer to get a safety job at Jeff’s Bucket Store, a preferred karaoke bar close to Park Highway Mall.

Jeff Laria, proprietor of Jeff’s Bucket Store, advised Channel 9’s Glenn Counts he was blindsided by the allegations. He stated Bridges labored safety on the bar for 3 years and was in a position to keep the ruse as a result of he apparently knew what he was doing.

“Stephen Bridges is a really good particular person, he took everybody unexpectedly for positive,” Laria stated. “He was a extremely good man, he was in all probability our greatest safety man. Every time there was a state of affairs that wanted to be defused, he was the man. He may in all probability defuse a state of affairs in addition to anybody than us. have ever had.

The CMPD stated Bridges had by no means labored for the division, however had a reputable badge and uniform. In line with the police, each have been stolen.

He was arrested Wednesday night within the parking zone of the bars.

A police report says liquor management officers performed an inspection at Jeff’s Bucket Store on Dec. 3, and bar house owners talked about Bridges was a CMPD officer. One of many house owners stated Bridges performed background checks on potential staff as a result of he stated he was an officer. The CMPD stated investigators have been notified and the division “promptly obtained warrants” on Wednesday to arrest Bridges.

“He even had a photograph of him holding a plaque the place he had acquired an award for saving an older man who had hassle respiration or one thing at a strip spot,” Laria advised Channel 9 “How are you not imagined to imagine that?”

Bridges faces three counts of impersonating a regulation enforcement officer, possession of stolen property and carrying a hid weapon.

Lee Ratliff, the founding father of Skilled Safety Companies, advised Channel 9 earlier this week that there’s a course of for firms to rent furloughed officers.

“If an officer walks as much as a bar and says, ‘Hey, I simply wish to come over right here and hold what you are promoting protected and you’ll pay me direct’, that is the place the sign is. alarm. That is not how the system is ready up,” Ratliff stated.

Ratliff advised Channel 9 that if a Charlotte enterprise needs to rent a furloughed agent, the enterprise should contact Secondary Employment, a division of CMPD, and the enterprise will likely be issued a allow. The Secondary Employment Division may also show jobs that brokers can apply for.

In line with the CMPD, Bridges didn’t carry out any official acts or carry out any visitors stops. Investigators stated they imagine it was an remoted incident.

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