MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Police busted a man they say posed as an officer in order to buy guns at a local store, and the arrest was all caught on video.
According to witnesses, a man identified as John Griffin went to Accent Guns and Loans on Summer, hoping to buy a couple of handguns.
“Things just kind of didn’t seem right,” said Will Bass with the business.
Bass said Griffin wanted to purchase the weapons through the Glock’s Blue Line Program, which is for current law enforcement only.
“If you are a first responder, you can get a firearm at a discounted price,” Bass explained.
But after talking to Griffin about the guns and his officer status, “we found out that we was impersonating an officer,” said Bass.
The workers at Accent reached out to the ATF who discovered the paperwork Griffin provided was bogus.
According to police reports, Griffin served as an officer for the Sunset, Arkansas force, but resigned in the summer of 2014.
The Sunset Police Department doesn’t even exist anymore.
According to police, moments after Griffin provided false documents undercover Memphis Police Officers arrested him.
They then searched his car where they found two other police badges, a couple of guns, a bullet proof vest and blue police lights.
Bass called the bust disappointing, but told WREG it happens more than you think.
“They are imitating something that people are doing every day, putting their lives on the line. To imitate that that seems pretty disrespectful,” said Bass.
Griffin was released from jail after posting a $100 bail.
No one answered at his Bartlett home when WREG stopped by Wednesday morning.
Bass hoped this recent arrest shows others who might try to pull similar stunts, you will be caught.
According to police, Griffin told officers he thought he was an auxiliary officer.
