A Mississippi man seen in a law enforcement style uniform and carrying a gun while working security at The Home Depot was arrested Monday and charged with falsely impersonating an officer. Fort Walton Beach Police said he held credentials identifying him as a Mississippi officer, but he was not sworn.
A Fort Walton Beach Police Department officer noticed a man on Monday, Oct. 12, who was wearing what looked like a generic law enforcement uniform and carrying a firearm while working security at The Home Depot. That observation led detectives in the department's Special Investigations Unit to open a follow-up investigation.
Detectives identified the man as Nicholas O'Bryant, 39, of Lucedale, Mississippi. Investigators found he was not a sworn law enforcement officer in Mississippi, even though he had credentials identifying him as one.
O'Bryant was arrested, charged with falsely impersonating a law enforcement officer and booked into the Okaloosa County Jail.
Police said they take unauthorized use of law enforcement authority seriously, particularly when the person is armed and presenting himself as a sworn officer. Anyone unsure whether someone is a legitimate officer can call Fort Walton Beach Police at (850) 833-9546, or their local law enforcement agency, to check.
The department is also urging businesses that hire security services to confirm their guards hold the required Florida security licenses
Written and reported by Emerald Coast Connected.