Sharp County authorities are on the lookout for a man allegedly impersonating a police officer.

According to a release from the Evening Shade Police Department, a woman reported being stopped near Pierson Road by a man in a white Ford Crown Victoria (similar to the one shown in the image provided by the Sharp County Sheriff’s Office) with a single blue light on the dashboard that could also be placed on the roof of the vehicle.

The woman told police she was briefly detained in the back seat of the suspect’s car, but was later released. However, she said the man took her cell phone after he realized he had been recorded.

The suspect is described as being a 5’6” white male with dark brown hair styled into a “flat top,” somewhat heavy-set, and clean-shaven. He was dressed in “…a black, fatigue-style uniform” and carried a hand-held radio.

Anyone with information on this incident should contact Sharp County dispatch at (870) 994-2211.

According to Evening Shade police, here are some steps to take should one feel they are being pulled over by a potential police impersonator:

• Put on your flashers, drive the speed limit and call 911 from your cell phone. Tell the 911 dispatcher that you are concerned that someone is trying to pull you over in an unmarked car that may not be a police officer. Ask the dispatcher to verify whether the car attempting to pull you over is indeed a law enforcement officer. If you do not have a cell phone, drive to a well-lit, busy area such as the parking lot of a busy store such as a grocery store.
• Do not flee from the vehicle attempting to pull you over.
• Do not stop your vehicle or get out of your vehicle until a dispatcher can confirm you are being pulled over by a legitimate police officer.
• If the dispatcher cannot confirm that you are being pulled over by a police officer, stay on the line with the dispatcher, and ask for police assistance. Drive carefully to a safe place, such as a local police department.

Image Sharp County Sheriff’s Office