Crime & Safety
Macomb County Man Facing Charges After Posing As Fire Captain: Police
Prosecutors said the man showed up at two crime scene investigations dressed as a fire captain with a badge.
CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI — A Clinton Township man is facing charges after posing as a firefighter during two separate crime investigations, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office.
Jason Edward Barnes, 47, was charged with impersonating firefighter or emergency medical service personnel (two-year felony) and unlawful use of fire emblems or logos (93-day misdemeanor).
He was placed in jail with a $250,000 bond and a court hearing is scheduled for July 2.
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Prosecutors said Barnes showed up to a homicide investigation on May 5 and introduced himself as a fire captain with a badge. He also tried to enter the home where the investigation was taking place, according to prosecutors.
Barnes then showed up at a fire investigation dressed in firefighter gear with a badge and spoke with officers at the scene on May 28, according to prosecutors.
Find out what's happening in Clinton Townshipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"We take the act of impersonating emergency personnel very seriously, as it undermines the trust and safety of our community," Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido said. "These actions not only disrupt investigations, but could contaminate crime scenes and pose a risk to public safety."
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