Essex County police recently arrested a man who was allegedly in possession of an imitation handgun while wearing a Newark police uniform.

The 36-year-old suspect, who lives in Newark, was allegedly wearing the full police uniform while walking near Heller Parkway and Highland Avenue in Newark, New Jersey.

According to the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, police officers saw the suspect walking on the street around 11 a.m. The officers approached the suspect and began to question him. The suspect allegedly told the officers that he was a member of the Newark police force, but he became “flustered” when the officers questioned him further and asked him to name the precinct he belonged to.

The suspect then allegedly ran from the officers and attempted to flee the scene on foot. Prior to fleeing, the suspect reportedly dropped a duffel bag to the ground.

A brief chase ensued. Police officers soon caught up to the suspect when he tried to hide under the deck of a house on Highland Avenue. Law enforcement said that the suspect was attempting to remove the police uniform and hide an imitation gun at his hiding spot.

Police also found the discarded duffel bag, which allegedly contained a gun belt, a holster, a commercial police radio scanner, a yellow traffic vest, a fraudulent police ID card, and a summons book.

After locating the suspect, police placed him under arrest without further incident. He has been charged with numerous criminal offenses, including unlawful possession of a weapon, impersonating a police officer, and resisting arrest.

If the suspect is ultimately convicted on the most serious charges, he could be subject to significant penalties because he is reportedly a repeat offender. According to judicial records, the suspect was previously charged with illegal handgun possession and impersonating an officer in March 2013. He was also reportedly convicted of assault in 2005.

After being arrested and charged in the most recent case, the suspect was taken to the Essex County Jail in Newark, NJ. He is being held at the facility in lieu of a $75,000 cash bond.

For more information about this case, see the NJ.com article entitled “Man Arrested Wearing Newark Police Uniform, Carrying Fake Gun, Authorities Say.”