Bremerton police arrested a convicted felon Friday morning for impersonating an off-duty Edmonds police detective at an active crime scene.
Michael A. Scaletta-Teates, 49, of Lacey, drove an unmarked Ford Explorer equipped with blue police lights to the Bremerton crime scene. He wore body armour labelled “POLICE” and “SWAT” and carried a metallic Edmonds Police badge, according to Bremerton Police Department.
Investigation revealed that Scaletta-Teates was not an Edmonds Police detective but worked as a security guard for a nearby business. Officers arrested him at 6:30 a.m. in the 800 block of 6th Street.
Police said Scaletta-Teates had allegedly been performing law enforcement duties in the downtown corridor whilst impersonating an officer. When arrested, he was found to be a convicted felon armed with a firearm and carrying extensive police equipment.
Scaletta-Teates was booked into Kitsap County jail on suspicion of first-degree criminal impersonation and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
Investigators are asking anyone who may have had suspicious encounters with Scaletta-Teates, during which he represented himself as a police officer, to contact Bremerton Police at 360-473-5220 and reference case number B25-004726.
Bremerton Police reminded residents of steps to take if they suspect someone posing as an officer: ask for the officer’s name and badge number; call 911 to verify the information; request a second officer be dispatched if feeling unsafe; confirm with 911 whether an officer is in the area; and if being stopped, slow down, signal, and pull over in a safe, well-lit area.
