14 Year Old "joins" chicago police.... kinda....

[jmc]

Police investigate how 14-year-old joined Chicago police patrol undetected for 5 hours

CHICAGO - A 14-year-old aspiring police officer donned a uniform, walked into a Chicago police station and managed to get an assignment — patroling in a squad car for five hours before he was detected, police said Sunday.

The boy did not have a gun, never issued any tickets and didn't drive the squad car, Deputy Superintendent Daniel Dugan said.

Assistant Superintendent James Jackson said the ruse was discovered only after the boy's patrol with an actual officer ended Saturday. Officers noticed his uniform lacked a star that is part of the regulation uniform.

Police said they were investigating how the deception went undetected for so long in what they described as a serious security breach. Police said disciplinary steps are possible pending the outcome of the investigation.

Police didn't identify the boy because of his age. He has been charged as a juvenile with impersonating an officer.

Dugan said the boy looks older than 14 and was motivated by a desire to be an officer, not malice or "ill intent."

The boy once took part in a Chicago program for youth interested in policing, so he would have been familiar with some procedures, perhaps helping him blend in, police spokeswoman Monique Bond said.

Oh this is great. Its a huge breach of security, and now any nut/terrorist with a uniform can do the same thing here. They thought a 14 YEAR OLD was a police officer! WTF!

I don't even want to know what is gonna happen to that superior officer who did roll call lmao

[deshende]

This sounds like it should be a movie. Possibly with a character named McLovin.

[Day]

oh lawd dems sum kids up in dat police car

[Joran]

14-year-old boy impersonates Chicago cop - Chicago Breaking News

Chicago police arrested a 14-year-old boy for impersonating one of their own on Saturday.

The boy, who has been charged as a juvenile with impersonating an officer, walked into the Grand Crossing (3rd) District station, 7040 S. Cottage Grove Ave., dressed in a Chicago police uniform, police spokeswoman Monique Bond said. The boy, who reported for duty about 1:30 p.m., partnered with another police officer for about five hours.

The boy identified himself as an officer from another district but was detailed for the day to Grand Crossing and also was savvy enough to sign out a police radio and a ticket book, according to a source. The source also said the boy went on traffic stops with the officer he went on the street with.

Bond said the boy "did not write tickets" and said there was "no information to indicate that he [was] ever behind the wheel."

At an afternoon news conference police said the boy had no interaction with the public. But according to an ABC News report Monday morning, the boy told his mother that he went on several calls--including for domestic violence.

After his tour was over, a ranking officer became suspicious of the boy. The source said the officer discovered the teen was not a real police officer when he couldn't produce any credentials.

The source said the boy had an empty holster and a newspaper in place of a ballistic vest in his vest carrier.

Police described the boy as a former "police explorer," which means he was part of a community program run through the police department's Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) that allows youth to interact with Chicago police officers. He was part of the explorer program in 2008 in the Englewood (7th) District.

"The boy was not armed and the matter is under investigation with Internal Affairs," Bond said.

Bond also said that how the boy acquired the police uniform was under investigation. Police officers need to present identification while acquiring their uniforms.

"This individual [the boy] has identified an egregious breach in security," Deputy Supt. of Patrol Dan Dugan said at an afternoon news conference.

The boy, whom authorities did not identify because he's a juvenile, is scheduled to appear in Juvenile Court at 10 a.m. Monday.

Rev. Roosevelt Watkins of Bethlehem Star Baptist Church in the Chatham neighborhood will hold a new conference 11 a.m. Monday at the church in defense of the boy, who attended the church, according to a news release.

The boy had participated in the HOPE Organization youth outreach program, according to the news release.

A newspaper in place of a ballistic vest. Why the fuck didn't I think of that!

[Mizango]

Wow that's awesome.

[Kiro]

That entire P.D. had a bit to drink apparently.

[Silpha]

Assistant Superintendent James Jackson said the ruse was discovered only after the boy's patrol with an actual officer ended Saturday. Officers noticed his uniform lacked a star that is part of the regulation uniform.

Loled much

[isladar]

Eeeeeeh lookit whatchawannacallit, so we gots us a cuppatchree more police officers.

[Anselme]

Aren't 14 year olds significantly...y'know, smaller than grown men/women cops? Squeaky voice, all that?

After his tour was over, a ranking officer became suspicious of the boy. The source said the officer discovered the teen was not a real police officer when he couldn't produce any credentials.

Grown police officers can't recognize young people anymore, even when spending FIVE hours with them?

[Null]

I was 6'3 at that age so I wouldn' say they are smaller. Even had a friend that was 6'7 at 13.

[Jaybar]

My stepbrothers were all 6'~ and built like varsity football starters in highschool. Don't know why people generalize age groups so much (especially in such a vague and differing age gap).

[Woozie]

I knew a 14 year old kid who could buy alcohol without ever even being asked for an I.D. (well except at stores that always ask no matter what). So yeah, the fact that he was 14 doesn't mean he couldn't pass for a grown man.

[Silviya]

What this really indictates is that for 5 hours the real police officer did nothing that a untrained 14 year old boy couldn't do as well.

[Woozie]

Considering he's in Chicago, he should consider himself lucky he didn't have to put that newspaper to the test. I could understand this happening in some nice suburbs or something, but I wouldn't put on a cop uniform without a vest and a pistol in a big city with gangs like Chicago.

[jmc]

Considering he's in Chicago, he should consider himself lucky he didn't have to put that newspaper to the test. I could understand this happening in some nice suburbs or something, but I wouldn't put on a cop uniform without a vest and a pistol in a big city with gangs like Chicago.

Yet alone with a DVI call (domestic violence)

The kid is lucky he didn't get hurt, but WTF at sending someone out on the patrol without a fucking sidearm?

"Ya hey... i'm detailed to you guys for the day from so-so district."

"What my gun? Aw fuck, I left it at the district...I don't gotta go back for it right?"

"What my ID number doesn't work? I don't know why it doesn't... damn computers, life was easier back in the day before them!"

[Alleya]

Have you seen 14 year olds these days? All those growth hormones in milk and mcdonalds and shit, most of them look older than me and I'm 22.

[Joran]

YouTube - State Farm "Young Driver" Insurance Commercial

[Kang]

This made my day.

[Hemorabe]

I think the kid probably did have some form of plastic or toy gun possibly.... I just think the media/police are emphasizing the fact he did not have an actual firearm... I highly doubt the Police in Chicago are THAT dumb that they wouldn't even question him having nothing at his side... That would be a dead giveaway whereas I think them seeing SOMETHING black on his side they wouldn't really find it out of the ordinary lol...

In conclusion this kid is the fucking man

[Woozie]

Didn't the article say he had an "empty holster"?