Louisiana Man Busted for Pretending to Be A Law Enforcement Officer

According to law enforcement officials, a man has been arrested after he allegedly identified himself as a police officer on at least two occasions.

Louisiana law is very clear that no one is allowed to impersonate any public officer.

What Is Louisiana's Law About Impersonating An Officer?

§112.  False personation

A.  False personation is the performance of any of the following acts with the intent to injure or defraud, or to obtain or secure any special privilege or advantage:

(1)  Impersonating any public officer, or private individual having special authority by law to perform an act affecting the rights or interests of another, or the assuming, without authority, of any uniform or badge by which such officer or person is lawfully distinguished; or

(2)  Performing any act purporting to be official in such assumed character.

B.  Whoever commits the crime of false personation shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars, or imprisoned for not more than ninety days, or both.

Christopher Cormier, spokesman for the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office, says a 52-year-old man has been charged in connection to this case. The investigation began with allegations of stalking, and this portion of the investigation led officers to the charges.

According to the Pike County Sheriff's Office and the Summit Police Department, both in Mississippi, Edwin Silence worked for each of these agencies at one time. According to the investigation, he did not return his police-issued items.

Officials from the Sheriff's Office have not yet shared anything about the stalking situation, but we will provide more details as they become available.

Edwin Silence was arrested on Monday, March 10, at his home in the 200 block of Sunflower Drive. Deputies were able to get a search warrant for both his home and car. They found uniforms, guns, and other equipment from his previous time in law enforcement.

According to Cormier, Silence, at least on one occasion, told a victim he was a law enforcement officer working out of state. He flashed a badge, and yes, he was wearing one of the uniforms above with a law enforcement agency's logo on it.

Silence no longer works at the Pike County Sheriff's Office or the Summit Police Department.

What Did Deputies Recover From Silence?

• Uniform shirts with police department logos
• Uniform pants
• Uniform vests and jackets
• An agency-owned pistol
• Two AR-15 style firearms

Silence was booked into the Lafayette Parish Correcitonal Center on two counts of Fraudulent Portrayal of a Law Enforcement Officer.

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