Police: Suspect impersonated cop, fire police officers in Cecil County

ELKTON — Investigators have filed criminal charges against an Elkton man who allegedly impersonated first responders at emergency scenes in Cecil County on multiple occasions since February, according to court records.

The suspect — Tyrone Harris Demps, 34 — is charged with impersonating a police officer, impersonating a member of an emergency squad and impersonating a uniformed officer, court records show.

Cecil County Sheriff’s Office Det. William Muller, lead investigator, filed those charges against Demps on Friday (Aug. 30), according to court records. Scheduled for a preliminary inquiry on Oct. 7, Demps was charged by way of criminal summons, court records show.

The investigation leading to the charges against Demps included Muller interviewing a woman who alleged that Demps, whom she knew only as “Ty,” had identified himself as a “police officer in Elkton” during an incident in an Elkton apartment complex, police said. The woman also alleged that the suspect’s silver Chevrolet Tahoe was equipped with red and white emergency lights that flashed, police added.

To give an idea of how realistic the equipment looked, she told investigators that if Demps were to drive behind her and flash those emergency lights, she would pull over and would follow his direction because she would believe that he was a “police officer in an official worker vehicle,” according to the charging document.

Muller’s investigation revealed that “Demps had been on multiple emergency scenes throughout Cecil County with the vehicle (Tahoe). While on fire scenes, Demps has attempted to present himself as a member of Newark (Aetna Hose, Hook and and Ladder Company),” court records allege. Demps also allegedly presented himself as a member of the Water Witch Volunteer Fire Company in Port Deposit, court records show.

“Demps is not a current member of any fire department in Cecil County and was never a Fire Police Officer in Cecil County. He also is not a sworn or civilian member of the Elkton Police Department or any police department in Maryland,” Miller outlined in his written statement of probable cause, noting that Demps is a former member of the North East Volunteer Fire Company, dating back to about 10 years ago.

The earliest of the reported incidents in which Demps allegedly impersonated a first responder occurred in February, when Demps arrived at an emergency scene on Childs Road near Elkton — prompting a fire police officer there to question Demps regarding his credentials, police reported.

“Demps was displaying the red lights in the same Tahoe while on scene. The fire police officer reported that when he asked Demps about his affiliation, he told him he was a member of Newark (Aetna Hose, Hook and Ladder Company). The fire police officer knew that this was not true, as Delaware firefighters are not permitted to use red lights in their vehicles,” court records allege.

During the follow-up investigation, the assistant fire chief of Aetna Hose, Hook and Ladder Company and other members of that department reported that Demps is not a member of that fire company, police reported.

Another reported incident occurred on April 14, when Demps responded to a crash on Interstate 95 near Elkton in the Tahoe, police said. When he arrived, first responders already were providing medical treatment to injured people and were securing the scene for traffic safety, police added.

“Demps was observed by a member of a fire company responding to the scene on I-95 with the lights activated. Demps was observed on the scene and identified as not being a first responder. Of note is that bona fide Fire Police Officers are not permitted to respond to scenes on I-95. Demps left the scene when he was approached by officials from the fire department,” according to the charging document.

The most recent reported incident occurred on July 23, when fire police officers with Singerly Volunteer Fire Company of Elkton alerted that a person “possibly impersonating a fire police officer” was at a fire scene, police said. Muller, who was assisting at that scene, launched an on-scene investigation and identified Demps as the driver of the Tahoe in question, police added.

“The vehicle appears to be a former police vehicle, as it has a lower stance police pursuit package suspension (and) accompanying wheels that are standard on a police vehicle. Multiple antennas are visible on the roof and visible emergency lighting in the front window, rear deck hatch and on the running boards of the vehicle,” court records allege.

At Muller’s request, Demps activated the lights on the Tahoe and they were red and white, court records show.

“The rear taillights and reverse light bulbs also flashed as part of the lighting, as is common with police vehicles. In plain view, laid across the front passenger seat, is a reflective vest with the word ‘fire’ on it. That vest is one that an official member of a fire department would wear,” according to the charging document.

During his investigation, Muller checked motor vehicle records and learned that Demps’ driver’s license is suspended and that that suspension status applied during the time frame of the reported incidents, court records allege.