Man accused of impersonating federal officer

FORT LAUDERDALE — A silver badge and a Glock pistol helped a Lauderhill man convince late night patrons at a Fort Lauderdale beach bar that he was a federal officer, police said.

A customer at the Rock Bar’s outdoor patio was talking with his girlfriend on a cellphone around 3 a.m. Friday when Joel Joseph Dunkley, 25, took the phone from the man’s hand and threw it on the floor, displayed the badge and pointed the firearm at him, according to a court document.

The confrontation prompted screams from bar customers as Dunkley pulled the man outside the bar at 219 S. Fort Lau-

derdale Beach Blvd. Dunkley was able to persuade a bouncer to assist in detaining the man and his concerned friend who came outside by displaying the badge and ordering him to join him, police said.

The two bar customers stood against a car in the frisk position, where they were found by a Fort Lauderdale police officer on patrol, according to an arrest report.

Dunkley is not an officer with any police agency, Fort Lauderdale police Detective Tracy Figone said.

He claimed the reason he told people at the bar that hewas a cop was to get help detaining the men, whom he accused of talking with him about a possible drug deal, police said.

No one else involved in the incident was arrested, Figone said.

“Thank God no one got hurt,” said A.J. Yaari, one of the bar’s principal owners. “In 25 years I’ve been on the beach, this is a first. I’ve never had anyone come in with a gun. We will continue to have off-duty police officers and security to protect our patrons.”

Dunkley was found to be carrying a loaded Glock 17 pistol and three loaded magazines. He had also called 911at 2:40 a.m. Friday to say he had an ongoing case and to send a unit, the report states.

It was not immediately clear if Dunkley was licensed to carry the weapon.

“We’re still gathering all of the information so I can’t make a comment at this time,” said his lawyer, Hugo Apellaniz.

Dunkley was arrested on suspicion of impersonating a law enforcement officer and disorderly conduct, and was released Friday night on a $1,000 bond.