Fake police at ‘coronavirus roadblock’ warn drivers to stay home, Colorado cops say

Colorado drivers report being pulled over early Friday at a roadblock checking for coronavirus lockdown violators, but police say they haven’t conducted any blocks, a Facebook post says.

Gov. Jared Polis on Wednesday issued a statewide stay-at-home order, which took effect Thursday, in an attempt to check the spread of the COVID-19 virus, The Gazette reports.

Several drivers said people in black uniforms recently directed them to a roadblock formed of vehicles with flashing red-and-blue lights on the dashboards, Greeley Police Department officers wrote Saturday on Facebook.

The drivers reported being “questioned for ‘violating the COVID-19 law,’ ” police wrote. But no such roadblocks have been conducted by local law enforcement.

A Greeley woman told police she was stopped at 4:50 a.m. by a man in a gas mask who directed her into a roadblock funnel formed by traffic cones and silver vehicles with flashing police lights, The Denver Post reported.

“The individual asked to see her license, insurance and registration, and demanded explanation as to why she was violating COVID-19 law,” said Cmdr. Rafael Gutierrez of the Greeley Police Department, according to the publication.

“He told the woman she could get charged with a violation for being out,” Gutierrez said, The Denver Post reported. “And apparently he showed her something she thought looked like a ticket but it was never given to her.”

The man let her go after about 10 minutes, according to the publication. Police checked with other agencies, but none are pulling people over for violating the stay-home order.

“We’re doing what most other departments are doing and seeking voluntary compliance and doing education before we would resort to any type of enforcement,” Gutierrez said, The Denver Post reported.

Police in Erie and Aurora also have reports of people being pulled over by police impersonators who questioned them about violating the stay-home order, KDVR reports.

“It’s frightening,” said Crystal McCoy, spokesperson for the Aurora Police Department, according to the station.

“It’s very frightening because we don’t really know what their intentions are,” McCoy said, KDVR reported. “We don’t know who they are. We realize it’s scary for the community and it’s also very alarming for us.”

On Facebook, Greeley police advised that anyone who suspects they’re being pulled over by a police impersonator acknowledge the stop by waving out their vehicle window and activating their hazard lights, then drive to a well-lit public area or a police station.

Police also suggest dialing 911 to tell the dispatcher you are being pulled over and report your location.

Officers asked that anyone with information on the fake roadblock call the Greeley Police Department at (970) 350-9600.

More than 803,000 cases of the COVID-19 virus have been confirmed worldwide with more than 39,000 deaths as of March 31, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 164,000 confirmed cases with more than 3,100 deaths.

The World Health Organization has declared coronavirus a global pandemic. The United States has declared a national emergency.

This story was originally published March 30, 2020 at 3:25 PM with the headline "Fake police at ‘coronavirus roadblock’ warn drivers to stay home, Colorado cops say."