NOTE* – RCMP state that the incident in Prince George is not related to those in the Okanagan. Refer here to the news release. If a further update is provided connecting this incident to those in the Okanagan, we’ll update with a new story.

PRINCE GEORGE, BC: A man was arrested following an incident of a man impersonating a police officer on Friday night…

Police say at 10:20 PM on March 19, 2021, the Prince George RCMP was informed by a member of the public that they were just approached by a male who was pretending to be a police officer.

The caller stated he first saw the vehicle at a gas station on 5th Avenue and Tabor Boulevard. The vehicle followed the driver onto 5th Avenue, where he then activated what appeared to be blue and red flashing police lights and passed the caller’s vehicle. The caller continued onto North Nechako and saw the Tahoe pulled over on the side of the road. The Tahoe followed the caller’s vehicle until the end of North Nechako Road.

The caller told police he was at a bonfire when a male, who identified himself as “Officer Maguire,” came to speak with them. The witness asked the male for his badge number and the male gave a number but became belligerent with the group and began swearing. The witnesses state the suspect then left the area, activating what appeared to be police lights that flashed red and blue as he was driving away.

Frontline members conducted patrols in the area and found the male stopped in the parking lot of a trailer park on North Nechako Road. Police approached the vehicle and began speaking with the male driver, whom they identified as 29-year-old Patrick MAGUIRE.

Police arrested MAGUIRE for impersonating a police officer and brought him to the Prince George RCMP Detachment where he remained until he could attend a bail hearing. Police are also conducting a parallel impaired-driving investigation.

MAGUIRE received a Notice and Order that compels him to remove the illegal modifications from his vehicle and have the vehicle inspected by a licensed inspection agency before driving again.

The B.C. Prosecution Service approved two counts of personating a police officer and one count of failing to comply with a probation order.

MAGUIRE is back in the community until his next court appearance.