>>> INVESTIGATORS SAY THE MAN BEHIND THE TAKEDOWN IN THIS
VIDEO IS IMPERSONATING A FEDERAL
OFFICER AND IT’S NOT THE ONLY
TIME HE’S DONE IT.
POLICE HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT MAN
AS MICHAEL JOSEPH SNYDER OF
NORTH FIELD TOWNSHIP.
>> IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU SAW
ON THAT VIDEO, HE’S ACCUSED OF
PULLING OVER A WOMAN ON THE
FREEWAY.
FREEWAY. WHAT ARE REAL OFFICERS SAYING
ABOUT WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN
PEOPLE PRETEND TO BE OFFICERS OF
THE LAW.
THE LAW. >>Reporter: IT’S INCREDIBLY
DANGEROUS FOR ANYONE TO PRETEND
TO BE A POLICE OFFICER.
WE’RE GOING TO DIG DEEPER INTO
THIS RIGHT NOW.
I’M GOING TO SHOW YOU A VIDEO.
IT’S OUT OF ANN ARBOR WHERE THIS
GUY CALLED 911 AND HE WAS AN
OFFICER AND HE NEEDED HELP AND A
GUN WAS INVOLVED BECAUSE HE
WANTED A FASTER RESPONSE TIME.
HE GOT THIS RESPONSE TIME.
HE WAS NEVER CHARGED FOR WHAT
YOU’RE ABOUT TO SEE.
>>Man: GET ON THE GROUND RIGHT
NOW.
NOW. >>Reporter: LET’S TAKE YOU TO
JUNE 2018.
JUNE 2018. POLICE ARE CALLED TO AN
INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS, EXPLOSIVE
SITUATION.
SITUATION. >>Man: DO YOU HAVE ANY WEAPONS
ON YOU?
ON YOU? >>Reporter: ACCORDING TO A
FEDERAL AFFIDAVIT, THREE AFRICAN
AMERICAN MEN WERE MINDING THEIR
BUSINESS WHEN 42-YEAR-OLD SNYDER
STARTED HARASSING THEM.
WATCH.
WATCH. WHILE POLICE TRY TO HANDLE A
CHAOTIC SITUATION, THAT’S SNYDER
IN THIS DASH CAM VIDEO ORDERING
THE MEN TO THE GROUND AND TRYING
TO TAKE DOWN ONE OF THE GUYS
HIMSELF.
HIMSELF. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, SNYDER
WAS ON HIS CELLPHONE PRETENDING
TO ASK FOR BACK UP.
ONE OF THE MEN ASKING HIM IF
YOU’RE A REAL OFFICER LET ME SEE
YOUR BADGE.
YOUR BADGE. >>Man: LET ME SEE YOUR BADGE.
>>Reporter: POLICE SAY THE MEN
IN THIS VIDEO DID NOTHING WRONG
BUT APPEARING TO ACT LIKE A REAL
OFFICER, SNYDER WALKED, HE FACED
NO CHARGES.
NO CHARGES. >>Man: HE’S A WANNA-BE, THINKS
HE’S A HARD ASS BUT HE’S NOT,
HE’S A WANNA-BE.
>>Reporter: RETIRED POLICE
CHIEF HAS STRONG WORDS.
>>Man: HE’S A CLOWN.
YOU IN MY MIND ARE AN IDIOT.
>>Reporter: SNYDER DIDN’T STOP
THERE.
THERE. 6:00 P.M. THIS PAST
OCTOBER 27TH, A WOMAN DRIVING ON
I-96 IN LIVINGSTON COUNTY PUT
HIM RIGHT ON THE RADAR.
SHE PASSED THE FORD WITH TEXAS
PLATES.
PLATES. THE PICKUP TRUCK GOT BEHIND THE
VICTIM’S VEHICLE AND BEGAN TO
FLASH RED AND BLUE LIGHTS.
>>Man: PULLING PEOPLE OVER
PRETENDING HE’S A LAW
ENFORCEMENT WHICH HE’S NOT.
>>Reporter: HE WAS OUT ON THE
ROAD PREPARING TO CONFRONT
DRIVERS.
DRIVERS. SHE SAID WHO ARE YOU, THE FEDS
SAY HE RESPONDED THAT HE WAS A
FEDERAL AGENT.
FEDERAL AGENT. SHE DROVE OFF AND CALLED 911.
>>Man: SHE DID EVERYTHING BY
THE BOOK.
THE BOOK. >>Reporter: THE ATF FOUND
SNYDER AND THE TRUCK AT HIS
HOME.
HOME. HE REFUSED TO ACTIVATE THE
LIGHTS ON HIS TRUCK.
THEY FOUND A TACTICAL VEST, A
TACTICAL BELT, A HAND GUN,
LOADED MAGAZINES, AND AN AM15
RIFLE.
RIFLE. >>Man: YOU’RE PUTTING YOURSELF
AT RISK, PEOPLE YOU PULL OVER AT
RISK AND GOD FORBID SAY SOMEONE
TAKES OFF AND GETS IN A CAR
ACCIDENT.
ACCIDENT. YOU DON’T PULL OVER UNLESS THE
BLUE LIGHTS ARE ON.
>>Reporter: NOW MICHAEL SNYDER
IS CHARGED WITH THE FEDERAL
CRIME OF FALSE IMPERSONATION OF
AN OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE OF THE
UNITED STATES.
UNITED STATES. >>Man: HE’S GOING TO PULL OVER
AN OFFDUTY COP ONE DAY AND HE’S
GOING TO GET SHOT BECAUSE HE’S
GOT A GUN PRETENDING TO BE A
FEDERAL AGENT.
FEDERAL AGENT. >>Reporter: BACK HERE LIVE.
SNYDER CHARGED IN FEDERAL COURT.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THAT SITUATION
THAT WAS SO CHAOTIC THAT
COULD’VE EXPLODED INTO A BAD
SITUATION.
SITUATION. >> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, WE APPRECIATE THAT