Teen in former police vehicle menaces car enthusiasts’ event, earns home visit, warning from WPS

A 17-year-old who attached red and blue flashing lights to the back window of a former police vehicle Sunday night got a visit from real city officers Monday who gave him a warning, as well as a $174 ticket for having illegally tinted windows.

The Winnipeg Police Service was advised on Monday of a video circulating online that showed a white Ford Explorer with the flashing in its rear window in a parking lot on Sage Creek Boulevard Sunday night.

Investigators were able to identify the vehicle’s owner.

The teen said he did it on a dare from his friends.

Manitoba Imports, which regularly hosts events for car enthusiasts in the city, said in a Facebook post the teen targeted their event, “attempting to pull over multiple cars” and then entering the lot with the lights activated.

The post said the teen then blocked the exit as people tried to drive out of the lot, creating a “chaotic situation.” The driver was reported to have chased another vehicle around the parking lot.

“People were genuinely concerned and bothered by this,” said Manitoba Imports founder Tyler Watson, who wasn’t at the event.

He said while the behaviour is a “little frustrating,” the driver’s young age needs to be taken into consideration.

“Like the police said, it was a dare. He was out there trying to mess around,” Watson said. “While we don’t think he was trying to harm anyone, he definitely scared a lot of people.”

Watson said some of the people at the event believed the driver was a police officer until it became clear that wasn’t the case.

“It’s upsetting,” he said. “I do believe he learned a solid lesson, and maybe this story will prevent others from thinking that the same idea is a good idea.”

Watson said it’s not uncommon for people to purchase retired police vehicles — something he’s done; they have usually been well-maintained — but said they are “pretty much impossible to distinguish” from an active part of the WPS fleet.

While the Criminal Code of Canada sets the punishment for an adult impersonating a police officer at a maximum five years’ imprisonment, the Youth Criminal Justice Act provides for a wide range of consequences which depend on myriad factors.

Watson said he’s glad all the teen got was a warning about the behaviour.

“The temptation is there to mess around with your friends,” he said of owning a former police car. “But driving on public streets with red and blue flashing lights is extremely dangerous and concerning to the general public, so don’t do it, it’s not worth it.”

Watson said he hopes the tale is a cautionary one for the teen, saying alongside the roasting he got from the car-collector community, the warning from police and potential consequences meted out by parents will be enough to prevent a similar situation.

“Everyone posted this online all over the place,” he said. “I’m positive it’ll be enough. If he does something like this again, I’m pretty sure that the police would want to bring charges against him and that’s definitely not worth it for a laugh.”

No one from the Winnipeg Police Service was available for an interview Wednesday, but spokesperson Const. Pat Saydak confirmed the incident in an email.

He said an inspection of the vehicle determined the tint on the front driver and passenger side windows was in violation of regulations.

morgan.modjeski@freepress.mb.ca