A man ended an argument in downtown Gainesville by showing a fake badge and saying he was an undercover deputy Friday night, Gainesville Police said.
Michael Allen Underwood, 45, was arguing with a man about his panhandling on the corner of Southeast Second Avenue and Southeast First Street when he showed the man a badge and said he was an Alachua County Sheriff's Office deputy, according to an arrest report. When the man questioned Underwood, he threatened to have him arrested.
Underwood raised his hand, like he would punch the other man, police said.
Responding police officers asked Underwood for the badge he flashed, and he showed them a black bi-fold wallet with two badges inside, according to the report. One star-shaped badge read “Sheriff’s Jr. Deputy League Hillsborough County,” and the other shield-shaped badge said “City Police.”
Underwood told police he showed the other man a badge, told him he was a detective, said he could have him arrested and raised his hand back but stopped, according to the report. He denied being a real police officer when police asked.
Underwood was arrested on a felony charge of impersonating a law enforcement officer and was taken to the Alachua County Jail where he remains, as of press time, in lieu of a $5,000 bond.
Contact Robert Lewis at rlewis@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @Lewis__Robert.
Michael Allen Underwood
