Vance Boelter fled Minnesota in panic after allegedly impersonating a police officer and committing the shootings of two state lawmakers, tragically resulting in the death of one lawmaker and her husband at their residence last week.
But what can you do to verify that the person who knocks on your door or pulls you over while you’re in your vehicle is a law enforcement officer?
Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley, where Boelter is suspected of fatally shooting Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her spouse, Mark, addressed media in a press briefing earlier this week, emphasizing that there’s an action that’s “never wrong.”
“You can always call 911 to verify if the individual at your door is a legitimate police officer,” stated Bruley. “If they are indeed on duty, they’ll be linked to a dispatch center that can confirm their identity. So, if you’re unsure, the first step to take is to call 911. There are many types of uniforms out there, and it’s always a wise move.”
Higgins said officers usually call in traffic violations to dispatch, so drivers can still call 911 or the local police to verify that an officer performing their duties initiated the stop.
Higgins advised citizens to always be aware of their surroundings and to pull over in public places, if possible.
If unable to immediately pull over in a public place, Higgins said drivers can lower their window just enough, keep their car in drive and ask the officer if it’s possible to drive to another place that is safer or more public.
Higgins said that police officers understand that citizens may be uncertain or nervous and ask for verification.
“If their answer is anything other than professional, it should raise a concern,” Higgins said. That is, if the citizen didn’t do anything obviously illegal like run a red light, he added as a caveat.
In the case in Minnesota, Boelter allegedly impersonated a police officer, wearing a flesh-colored mask, a black tactical vest and carrying a flashlight before shooting and killing state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, and wounding state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their respective homes.
Boelter also drove a black SUV equipped with police-style lights and a fake license plate that said “POLICE,” according to a court affidavit.
Video footage from Hoffman’s home shows a masked Boelter at the front door wearing the black tactical vest and holding a flashlight, according to the affidavit. Boelter then allegedly knocked on their door and shouted repeatedly, “This is the police. Open the door.”
The Hoffmans answered the door but, since Boelter was shining the flashlight in their eyes, realized too late that Boelter was not a real police officer, the affidavit said.
