DPS: Man impersonating officer arrested after attempting to pull over troopers

BrieAnna J. Frank | The Republic | azcentral.com

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A 44-year-old Mesa man was arrested on suspicion of impersonating a police officer after he attempted to pull over Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers on Wednesday, the agency said.

Matthew Allen Disbro is accused of equipping his black Dodge Charger with police-style emergency lighting and attempting to pull over the troopers, who were in an unmarked car, along State Route 51 in Phoenix, DPS said.

The two troopers were on patrol in a yellow Ford Mustang, an unmarked vehicle generally used to target aggressive drivers, DPS said.

The troopers ran a check of Disbro's license plate, which revealed the car belonged to a private citizen and not a public agency, officials said.

Shortly after, Disbro activated his flashing lights and attempted to pull the troopers over, DPS said in a news release.

The troopers did not pull over, at which point Disbro drove alongside the troopers and yelled and waved his hand at them, DPS said.

The troopers identified themselves by activating their emergency lights and initiated a traffic stop on Disbro, DPS said.

Disbro was a uniformed and armed security guard traveling in his personal vehicle, which had been equipped with a police-style siren, lights and a radio scanner, DPS said.

Disbro was arrested on suspicion of impersonating a police officer and booked into a Maricopa County jail.

It wasn't immediately clear whether any other motorists had been pulled over by Disbro, DPS said.

DPS asks that anyone who has had contact with Disbro or has been stopped by a Dodge Charger with law-enforcement-style emergency lights to call the department at 602-644-5805.

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