Illinois security guard charged with impersonating police officer
Vernon Hills IL Jan 23 2018 A security contractor hired to guard a Vernon Hills store is scheduled in court Feb. 21 to face charges of impersonating a police officer.
On two occasions Damaro Sterling falsely identified himself as a member of the Chicago Police Department and was also found in possession of a State of Illinois Special Operations Investigator badge, according to Kim Christenson, spokesman for the Vernon Hills police department.
Vernon Hills police responded to Hawthorn Mall at 9:20 p.m. Jan. 10 after mall security said a man who was hired to guard H&M’s construction site would not provide his name, according Christenson.
Officers identified the man as Sterling, 48, of the 0-100 block of West Garfield Boulevard, Chicago. Sterling at that time claimed he was a 30-year officer of the Chicago Police Department, according to Christenson.
Finding nothing wrong and having provided mall security with Sterling’s name, Christenson said officers deemed the issued resolved and left the scene.
A few hours later, at 12:35 a.m. Jan. 11, officers returned to the mall on another matter and an officer noticed a vehicle in the parking lot with several Chicago police-related items on and within the vehicle, Christenson said.
The officer decided to run Sterling through a few databases and learned that he had a prior conviction for a stolen auto and that Sterling’s firearm owners identification (FOID) card was expired, which Christenson said would both be problems for a police officer.
After the officer returned to the store, Christenson said Sterling again referred to himself as a police officer and claimed his credentials were in his coat. However, Christenson said Sterling’s coat contained a State of Illinois Special Operations Investigator badge.
Sterling eventually admitted he was not a police officer, according to Christenson.
Police did not find any weapons on Sterling or in his car, Christenson said. Police say they do not know where the badge came from.
Sterling was charged with two counts of impersonating a police officer.
A Chicago Police Department spokesman said Sterling was never an employee of their department.
Chelsey Robinson, a lawyer representing Sterling, declined to comment on the situation. Sterling himself could not be reached for comment. H&M was contacted for comment, but representatives did not reply by press time.
Vernon Hills police transported Sterling to the Lake County jail, where he posted $1,000 bail and was released Jan. 11, according to the sheriff’s office. He is scheduled in court Feb. 21.
