Updated story
One Chicago teen can't seem to stay on the right side of the law, despite dressing the part. Twice.
Vincent Richardson, who made headlines in 2009 passing himself off as a police officer so convincingly he even rode around for hours in a squad car, was arrested Tuesday for yet again impersonating a police officer.
Thursday afternoon, Richardson appeared in bond court and was ordered released with an electronic ankle monitor, according to ABC Chicago.
The Tribune reports Richardson, now 19, went to the VCG Uniform store in the 5000 block of West Irving Park Road posing to a clerk as an Englewood District officer. Richardson was reportedly dressed in clothes resembling a Chicago officer's uniform and asked to try on several items.
The clerk grew suspicious and googled the teen before discovering his prior arrests for impersonating an officer and alerting police (the real ones). Chicago officers caught up with Richardson and charged him with felony impersonation of a police officer, CBS Chicago reports.
"I know what it's like to be one of you," Richardson told officers, according to police. "I respect you because I did it for a day chasing and helping people. My intentions are never to hurt people, just to help."
When Richardson successfully fooled police as an eighth grader four years back, the Richardson's pastor told the Tribune the incident was actually the second time the teen had been arrested for a similar crime, though police didn't have the alleged incident at the Ford City Mall on record.
The 2009 incident, the teen walked into a district station dressed in full uniform and was assigned to traffic patrol; he was so convincing, police issued him a radio and assigned him to a squad car according to the Associated Press. Richardson even reportedly helped arrest a suspect during his stint.
The ordeal was a major embarrassment to the CPD which left then-Mayor Richard Daley fuming and calling for an investigation.
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