Paterson man arrested for impersonating police officer
By Jonathan Greene
Published: May 29, 2016
A city man has been charged with allegedly impersonating a police officer on Saturday, according to Passaic County Sheriff Richard Berdnik.
Joseph Ibrahem, 32, was charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer, authorities said. He allegedly told a Passaic County investigator and a sheriff’s officer conducting a motor vehicle stop on Presidential Boulevard as part of the “Click It or Ticket” campaign he worked at the police departments in Kearney and Hillsdale.
Ibrahem’s girlfriend believed he worked for the New Jersey State Police. Ibrahem’s claims came out negative when investigator Joseph Royce and officer Joel Familia contacted both police departments to verify. State police also returned a negative.
Ibrahem’s girlfriend gave him up when Royce pulled her over for driving in a 2016 Black Nissan Rogue while on her cell phone at around 4:35 p.m. The woman told the investigator she was on the phone with her law enforcement officer boyfriend who lives on Presidential Boulevard. Her boyfriend came out to the vehicle. He was asked for his law enforcement identification which he could not produce.
Authorities seized a Glock 19 from Ibrahem. The investigator determined that Ibrahem was a security officer with a permit to carry a handgun while on the job. Ibrahem could not provide a supervisor’s phone number to verify his employment as a security officer.
Berdnik said additional charges such as unlawful possession of a weapon are possible against Ibrahem. He was released with a return to court date. His girlfriend was issued a warning for driving while talking on the phone, authorities said.
This report updated on May 29, 2016 at 8 p.m.