DEEP director arrested for posing as a police officer and stopping youth vehicle

HARTFORD, Conn. (WFSB) – A Department of Energy and Environmental Protection director was arrested for pretending to be a police officer, according to Old Saybrook police.

Richard Swan, 59, of Old Saybrook, was served with an arrest warrant Tuesday.

Swan is the Deputy Director of the State of Connecticut Environmental Protection Division for DEEP.

The warrant accused him of impersonating an officer.

Police said the arrest stemmed from an investigation that revealed Swan used a Connecticut state-issued DEEP vehicle, equipped with red and blue emergency lights, to stop and stop a vehicle occupied by three juveniles under 18 years old, April 27. around 11 p.m.

During the stop, police said Swan showed a badge and then obtained identification of the minors in the vehicle by requesting a permit, which he then provided to the actual officers.

In a phone call to the Old Saybrook Police Department, he identified himself as a “DEEP officer.”

Police said Swan was not a certified POST police officer in the state of Connecticut. They also said he had the authority, in his capacity with DEEP, to conduct motor vehicle inspections.

“It is concerning that an individual could betray the public trust by impersonating a police officer and, even worse, to minors,” said Chief Michael Spera of the Old Saybrook Police Department. “We will not tolerate this dangerous behavior in Old Saybrook and I fully support the victims’ quest for justice after their frightening experience. »

Swan was being held on $5,000 bail.

He was scheduled to post bond and appear in Middletown Superior Court on June 11, 2024.

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