Newark Fire Captain Arrested For Impersonating Cops: Prosecutor

Newark, NJ - A Newark Fire Department captain has been accused of impersonating a law enforcement officer during two separate incidents that took place on the same day in November 2014, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office announced Monday.

According to prosecutors, Anthony Graves, 47, of Newark, was charged with two counts of fourth-degree impersonation of a law enforcement officer.

Authorities allege that on the afternoon and evening of November 30, 2014, Graves conducted two motor vehicle stops, one in Hillside and the other in Newark. Graves allegedly activated the emergency lights in his fire department vehicle and verbally questioned both motorists, but did not issue any summonses, nor did he attempt to make any arrests, prosecutors stated.

A Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Unit investigation confirmed that Graves was not working in any official capacity at the time of either stop, authorities stated.

“In order to avoid any potential real or perceived conflict of interest, the investigation into this matter was transferred from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office to the Union County Prosecutor’s Office by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General,” prosecutors stated in a news release.

Last week, Graves was served both summonses through his attorney. Convictions on fourth-degree charges can result in penalties ranging from probation to 18 months in state prison, prosecutors stated.

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