LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — A Scranton man facing criminal charges he impersonated a police officer in Luzerne County has a long history of pretending to be a cop, investigators said.
His record is actually what helped catch him this latest time, court filings show.
Lehman Township police said Paul Dolan posed as a police officer when he approached a woman with a flat tire along Old Route 115 on Dec. 13. Claiming he works as an undercover cop to "get drug off the street," the woman he approached felt uneasy.
Dolan, 46, insisted on providing her with reflective triangles for an emergency and asked for her phone number so he could grab some from his office. Reluctantly, she gave Dolan her number.
A few hours later, safe at home, Dolan sent her a phone message. The message's heading contained his name, Paul Dolan. A search of the internet yielded information that deepened her concern and prompted her to call Lehman Township police.
News reports from 2004 and 2005 show he was twice arrested in Long Island for impersonating a police officer.
At a bar in 2004, he introduced himself as a cop to a real New York City detective. Dolan mentioned he worked for a warrant squad that did not exist, prompting suspicion.
Police officers who questioned him later learned he had a copy of a badge with another cop's shield number, according to the news reports. They also found a pistol, shotgun, three knifes, a speed loader, several sets of handcuffs and other items.
"I'm obsessed with police officers," he said, according to the report.
Then, about a year later, flashed a badge at a woman in Long Island and told her to get in his SUV, according to reports. He asked if she was a prostitute and then searched her purse.
Dolan's charges from New York came up when police in Lehman Township ran his criminal history last month, said township officer Edwin Weidow, who is investigating the case.
Once she finished reading, the woman dialed for a police officer, the complaint against Dolan stated.
A real one.
Dolan faces charges of impersonating a public servant. Weidow said the investigation remained ongoing and he plans to follow up on tips sent in of people who claim they too have been pulled over.
Additional charges are pending, he said, following a search warrant that turned up gear, drugs and weapons.
Dolan is free on $10,000 unsecured bail and has a preliminary hearing scheduled Feb. 6.
Attempts to reach Dolan were unsuccessful. It was unclear if he has an attorney.
Weidow said those pulled over by an undercover police car can call 911 to verify an officer is indeed trying to stop them.
Anyone who thinks they may have been a victim of Dolan's alleged impersonation as a police officer is asked to contact Weidow at weidow@lehmantwp.com.