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2 Tampa Men Face Impersonating Officer Charges

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 6, 2008

Updated: 10/06/2008 09:47 am

  Darryl Ivan Dawson

TAMPA - Two Tampa men pretended to be law enforcement agents in recent days, police and deputies say.

Darryl Ivan Dawson, 44, flashed Tampa police officers a badge, pretending to be a Department of Homeland Security employee Friday morning, a police report states. He isn't. He works for a local security firm.

James Penia, 41, was hanging out at a Circle K on Nebraska Avenue on Sunday afternoon when he flashed a plastic badge to two people, telling them they would have to leave, Hillsborough County sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said. Penia is not a Circle K employee, and a report didn't say why he pretended to be an officer and told people to leave.

Dawson, of 8517 N. Ola Ave. in Tampa, was charged with impersonating a police officer. The incident at West Wood Street and North Ola Avenue began when officers conducting an unrelated investigation saw Dawson driving a red 2006 Ford Mustang there.

Officers checked the vehicle's registration and determined Dawson was driving with a suspended license but had "business purposes only" restrictions. The Ford left the area.

Soon after, Dawson returned, parked his Ford next to the officers and approached them.

The officers asked where he worked, trying to determine whether he was driving within the restrictions of his suspended license.

Dawson said he worked for the Department of Homeland Security and flashed a star-shaped badge, a report states. He then showed a white identification card when officers asked for credentials to prove his claim.

The card and badge were determined to be security officer credentials for a local security firm, police say.

Dawson, who also was charged with driving with a suspended license, was released from jail on $2,250 bail.

Meanwhile, Penia, of 14208 N. 12th St., No. C, was charged two counts of impersonating a police officer. He has been released from jail on $4,000 bail.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at jpoltilove@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7691.

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