http://www.tampabays10.com/news/watercooler/article.aspx?storyid=45128\
School bus driver acted like cop, arrested for tailgating detectives
– A Seminole man, who works as a Pinellas County school bus driver, was arrested after tailgating two Pinellas County Sheriffs detectives in a gold Buick that he had equipped to resemble an unmarked police car.The incident began on Tuesday afternoon when 43-year-old Michael McKean began tailgating a Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office vehicle driven by a detective on Bryan Dairy Road.As McKean began following the detectives, it was noted that the car was equipped with radio equipment, a traffic radar unit, and what appeared to be an in-car video camera.
As the suspect overtook the unmarked Sheriff car, he used a public address system to tell the detective to “slow it down.” The detectives then followed behind the suspect, called for assistance from a uniformed deputy in a marked Sheriff’s Officer cruiser.
When stopped, authorities say McKean was found to be in possession of a Connecticut State Police Badge and a jacket with police patches and other law enforcement insignia on it. Inside the car, detectives observed a blue light on the floorboard and a police scanner mounted along with various radio equipment. At no time did he display the police badge or blue light.
Detectives say the suspect told them that he had followed him so closely in an attempt to cause him to believe he was a police officer so he would slow down. He also claimed to have previously worked as a law enforcement officer in Connecticut, before a back injury ended his career. The suspect later admitted that he had never worked as a law enforcement officer anywhere.
During the investigation, McKean was also found to be in possession of pharmaceutical drugs for which he did not have a prescription. He was arrested for 5 counts of drug possession and 1 count of unlawful installation of radio equipment.
Another net has come and gone. Check-ins included:
Hoya…. Dr. Whacker here…
I often scoff at the rather superior stance that Hams seem to think they have in the radio community – especially against CB-types and Scanner folk. I’ve been a ham for pushing 30 years now, and I’ve seen my share of absolute cretin hams. Hams seem to think that, because they must pass a test, they are somehow superior humans. Trust me, that isn’t always the case! There are cretins in all levels of society…. just because someone went to school long enough to become a doctor or a lawyer doesn’t mean they can’t be despicable human beings. But I digress…..