WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A New Jersey man was arrested after allegedly posing as a federal law enforcement officer and responding to an emergency call he placed himself, using a marked Homeland Security Police vehicle belonging to his wife, authorities said.
According to police, officers were dispatched to a home under construction after a 911 call reported that the front door of the property was open. While officers were en route, a marked Homeland Security Police vehicle arrived at the scene with its emergency lights activated.
Investigators said the man exited the vehicle, identified himself as a Homeland Security officer, and attempted to assist police by helping clear the residence. He was armed with a handgun at the time. Responding officers later determined that the man was not employed by Homeland Security or any other federal, state, or local law enforcement agency.
Police identified the suspect as Nicholas Cabral, 32, of Sewell, New Jersey. Authorities said Cabral was the individual who placed the 911 call and had taken his wife’s official Homeland Security Police vehicle without authorization while she was out of state on a work assignment.
Although Cabral possessed a valid New Jersey permit to carry a firearm, police said he was not legally authorized to carry or use a weapon in a law enforcement capacity. The firearm was seized following the incident.
Cabral was charged with impersonating a police officer and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and he later turned himself in to authorities. He is scheduled to appear in court at a later date.
Officials emphasized that impersonating a law enforcement officer poses serious risks to public safety and undermines trust in legitimate authorities. Homeland Security has since recovered the marked vehicle, and the investigation remains ongoing.