A Vero Beach man is charged with impersonating a police officer and fraudulently obtaining veteran status.
Scott Edward Davis, 51, was booked into the Indian River County Jail on Tuesday on two outstanding warrants.
The Indian River County Sheriff's Office (IRCSO) says Davis reportedly initiated a verbal disturbance at Velde Ford in Vero Beach on December 20, 2017. Witnesses say he presented a badge and repeatedly identified himself as a representative of the Department of Homeland Security. He left the business before deputies could arrive.
According to IRCSO, Davis has a history of similar activity dating back to the 1990s.
Police in Austin, Texas say Davis was arrested twice in 1992, in which he made over 20 traffic stops on unsuspecting victims while impersonating a law enforcement officer. He was found in possession of emergency lights, a siren, an unauthorized fire department badge, and he admitted he might have had a firearm during these traffic stops.
Davis was also arrested in 2005 in Clay County, Florida for impersonating a law enforcement officer. According to a Clay County report, he reportedly conducted a traffic stop with blue lights in his personal vehicle. He was near a military base and identified himself as Major Scott Davis.
During the investigation of the disturbance at Velde Ford in December, investigators noticed a document in his driver's license file which appears to have come from the Veterans Administration and showed years of service from 1984 to 2006 and an honorable discharge. The document was used by Davis to obtain the veterans designation on his license.
Investigators became suspicious that someone with Davis' felony arrest history would have remained in the military. Veterans Administration records revealed that the document was fake and Davis had actually been in the U.S. Army from 1987 to 1989 and was discharged under other than honorable conditions. The Veterans Administration confirmed that Davis is not eligible for benefits, nor is he considered a veteran.
Davis made his first appearance in court on Tuesday and was released on $20,000 bond.
If you have any additional information about this subject impersonating a law enforcement officer, please contact Lt. Thomas Raulen at 772-978-6148.
