HOLYOKE — A Connecticut man was arrested Saturday and charged with impersonating a police officer.
According to a release from the Police Department, a police sergeant was flagged down at approximately 3:15 a.m. by a man who reported another man bothering a woman on Cabot Street.
When officers arrived on the scene, police said they found that the man, Roberto Ruiz-Montanez, had stopped the woman by telling her he was a police officer. The woman told officers Ruiz-Montanez had approached her in a threatening manner and tried to get her into a rear alley, telling her he was an undercover police officer.
The man who flagged down the police had initially attempted to intercede between Ruiz-Montanez and the woman, but was told by Ruiz-Montanez that he was a police officer and to leave, police said.
After an investigation, Ruiz-Montanez, 51, of Waterbury, Connecticut, was charged with impersonating a police officer and disturbing the peace.
Ruiz-Montanez was arraigned in Holyoke District Court and pleaded not guilty to both charges on Tuesday. Bail was set at $200 and his next court date is Aug. 5.
“Great that a Holyoke citizen tried to intervene and flagged down a real police officer,” said Holyoke Police Capt. Matthew Moriarty.
He also had some advice for citizens who might wonder if someone is actually an officer or not.
“A real police officer will never be bothered if someone is asking to see their supervisor,” Moriarty said.
Bera Dunau can be reached at bdunau@gazettenet.com.