Authorities say police impersonators have been fooling police, firefighters and the public for three years in and around Flint, Michigan.

The Flint Journal reports the impersonators are members of a group calling itself the Genesee County Fire and EMS Media-Genesee County Task Force Blight Agency. They were acting as police at parks, house fires, vehicle crashes and crime scenes.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton authorized charges against three people this week, including unlawful imprisonment. In one case, the impersonators allegedly handcuffed two people. Court records say there are at least five other potential defendants.

Leyton says the individuals sometimes were the first to arrive at crime scenes and "real police would ask them to perform tasks." An investigation started after a complaint about rude Genesee County park rangers who turned out to be impostors.

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Information from: The Flint Journal, http://www.mlive.com/flint