Man With Stolen Cleveland Police Badge and Fake Gun Attempts to Make Arrest, Is Subsequently Arrested

An Elyria man who is not a Cleveland police officer but who had a real Cleveland police badge and a fake gun (that patrons didn’t know was fake at the time) tried to arrest a bartender at Boomers Bar in Elyria. 

It didn’t go well. It rarely does when you impersonate an officer.

Police say Taj Talkington told a bar patron in Boomers Bar at 305 Bar Street in Elyria that he could take his drink outside, to which a bartender said no. He then argued that he knew the law, drew a fake gun, claimed to be a Cleveland police officer and attempted to arrest the bartender. After hearing sirens in the distance, Talkington ran away. He was later arrested.

Talkington, 22, is charged with impersonating a police officer, receiving stolen property, aggravated menacing, obstructing official business, attempted unlawful restraint and felony abduction.

Talkington was found to have some items previously stolen from a Cleveland police cruiser, including a hat badge, uniform badge and handcuffs, according to the Morning Journal.

Talkington has a preliminary hearing on June 20.

This article appears in Jun 1-7, 2016.