How to tell if that's a real law enforcement officer

TAMPA, Fla. - In late July, Tampa Police said Luis Harris impersonated a police officer, pulled a woman over on Bayshore Boulevard by waving a blue light, and then raped her.

Harris denied the charge, but was still arrested.

Officials with Tampa Police said they were disturbed by the incident involving Harris. “It violated the public trust,” said TPD spokesman Jim Contento.  Officer Gary Leggett added “People tend to lose faith and trust in police officers when someone does something like that."

Considering the severity of the incident, ABC Action News thought it was important to make sure people knew how to tell if an officer was real.

According to Jim Contento from Tampa Police, all uniform police officers have the following things: a badge, an ID card, a nametag, and some type of insignia showing which department they work for.

If you are pulled over, you should look for those things. Contento also said you have every right to ask to see them.

Undercover officers rarely pull people over, Contento said. But when they do, they will still be carrying their badge and ID card, he said. You can and should ask to see them in this situation too.

According to Leggett, officers will not take offense if you ask to see proper identification. He said they understand that some people are leery about people impersonating officers.

Contento added that if an officer turns on their sirens behind you on the road, you are allowed to drive until you get to a well-lit area where you feel comfortable. He said you should turn on your flashers and acknowledge to the officer that you recognize he wants you to pull over. They will follow you until you stop.