ALBANY, N.Y. - Albany police have arrested a 19-year-old city man pretending to be an Albany police detective for the past year, after he showed up to a gun call this past Tuesday evening.
Ryan Mann, of 175 Jay Street, was arrested Tuesday evening for possessing a stolen portable radio from Albany Medical Center after he showed up to the call on Thornton Street and was dressed like a detective.
Several minutes after the call went out around 5:00 p.m., Mann showed up to the scene on Thornton Street. He was wearing eye glasses, had on a blue fleece jacket, dress shirt and tie, khaki pants and shoes. He had a bullet proof vest on and was carrying a portable radio, similar to one that police officers carry.
The police officer who arrested Mann, Officer Michael Geraci, immediately recognized him as being the individual who was responding to police calls in the Center Square neighborhood over the past several months.
Officer Geraci initially questioned him at the scene and Mann was brought to the detective division to be interviewed. Mann admitted to responding to several dozen calls over the past year, mostly in the Center Square area. He monitored police calls through a phone application that scans police transmissions, carried a police badge from Oakland, California and would identify himself as Detective Ruff when he encountered people in the public.
Mann was charged with Criminal Possession of Stolen Property 5th. He was arraigned in Albany City Criminal Court Wednesday morning.
Police say there is no indication at this time that Mann specifically targeted anyone or anything for gain or that he was a threat to anyone. He was scheduled for a mental health evaluation.
Mann has not been charged with impersonation at this time and the investigation is continuing.
Officers investigating the gun call on Tuesday were involved in a brief foot pursuit that led to an arrest for criminal trespass on Third Street. Officer Geraci was one of the officers who responded to the call and he located a handgun on Thornton Street.
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