A Maryland traffic stop turned into a police impersonation case after an officer spotted a van displaying flashing red-and-blue lights, police-style markings, and decals that appeared to identify the vehicle as law enforcement.
The encounter was featured in body-camera footage published by Midwest Safety, which followed the Aug. 29, 2025 stop involving 67-year-old Alejandro “Alex” Zunca.
According to the channel’s report, the Montgomery County officer noticed a Ford Transit van marked with the words “Police” and “Policia,” along with emergency-style lights that were activated while the van was on the road.
The officer immediately treated the stop as a potential public-safety concern.
“I just pulled over a van that is advertising itself as police with red and blue flashing lights,” the officer said over the radio.
What followed was an unusual encounter involving police-style uniforms, badges, a replica pistol, knives, a baton, handcuffs, a ballistic vest, and a man who initially claimed he had been a police officer before acknowledging he was no longer one.
Flashing Lights Drew Immediate Attention
Midwest Safety’s narrator said the officer came across the van at night and quickly noticed that it did not appear to belong to Montgomery County police or any other recognizable law-enforcement agency.
The van was covered in markings connected to HAPCOA, the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association, as well as the Faith and Blue initiative.
But it also had visible police-style labels and red-and-blue flashing lights.
Those details mattered because emergency lights and police decals can make ordinary drivers assume they are being directed by a legitimate officer.
The officer activated his own emergency lights and stopped the van.
When he approached, he told the driver to put his hands on the steering wheel and asked why the vehicle was advertising itself as police.
“Why are you advertising yourself as a police vehicle?” the officer asked.
Zunca initially appeared to say he was affiliated with the Maryland secretary of state’s office and described himself as a Spanish liaison. He also referenced HAPCOA Faith and Blue.
But the officer kept returning to the central question: was he currently a police officer?
“I was,” Zunca said.
“But you’re not anymore,” the officer replied.
That exchange set the tone for the rest of the stop.
The Officer Finds What Appears To Be A Weapon
The situation escalated when the officer asked whether Zunca had any weapons in the vehicle.
Zunca said no.
But when the officer ordered him out of the van, he saw what appeared to be a weapon on Zunca’s person.
The officer placed him in handcuffs and removed the item, later describing it as a tear-gas device or pistol-style launcher.
Zunca insisted it was not a weapon.
“It’s a tear gas,” he said.
The officer did not agree.
“It’s a weapon,” the officer responded, adding that he had also located two knives on Zunca.
That disagreement became one of the clearest moments in the footage. Zunca appeared to argue that knives and a tear-gas launcher should not be treated as weapons, while the officer viewed the items as obvious safety concerns during a stop involving flashing police lights and vehicle markings.
“You said you were a cop,” the officer told him. “You said you were a police officer, but you don’t consider a knife a weapon.”
Zunca responded by saying that “everybody” has a knife.
The officer shot back that he “must have been a cop in Candyland.”
It was a sharp comment, but it captured the officer’s frustration. From his perspective, the man was presenting himself as a law-enforcement figure while minimizing the risk created by the equipment he carried.
Police-Style Gear Was Found Inside The Van
Midwest Safety said officers later searched the van and found a collection of police-related items.
According to the channel’s narration, the vehicle contained a uniform shirt with “HAPCOA POLICE” written on the back, a black taser-style device, a baton and holster, handcuffs, a Baltimore City police badge, a police-and-Portuguese-liaison identification card, and a ballistic-style vest with an American flag patch.
The search also reportedly turned up a hat embroidered with “Policia National,” a police uniform shirt with a name plate for Alex Zunca, and other law-enforcement-style accessories.
The weapon-like device was later described in police reports as a likely cap gun or replica pistol stamped with the words “toy gun.” Officers removed what appeared to be caps from its magazine.
Even if the item was not a real firearm, the visual impression still mattered.
A replica gun, combined with flashing red-and-blue lights, a police-labeled van, badges, uniforms, and handcuffs, can make a roadside encounter feel very real to anyone who sees it.
That is why police impersonation allegations are taken seriously. The danger is not only whether the person intends to arrest someone. It is also whether the public can reasonably believe they are dealing with a real officer.
HAPCOA And Faith And Blue Became Part Of The Investigation
The Midwest Safety report said Zunca was connected to HAPCOA and the Faith and Blue initiative.
HAPCOA is described in the footage as the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association, an organization that supports Hispanic American command officers and community outreach efforts.
Faith and Blue, according to the channel, focuses on connecting law enforcement with communities through local faith-based groups.
Zunca referenced those affiliations when questioned by the officer.
But the organization’s association with him did not appear to solve the core issue.
The channel reported that HAPCOA’s official director, Anthony Chapa, was contacted during the case and said the organization does not have an official uniform and does not issue police-style badges to members.
That distinction became important.
Being involved in a law-enforcement support organization, community group, or outreach program does not make someone a sworn police officer. It also does not give a person the authority to operate a vehicle with emergency lights or display markings that could lead the public to believe they are law enforcement.
The video also stated that police records indicated Zunca admitted he had never been a sworn police officer in the state of Maryland.
Charged After The Traffic Stop
According to Midwest Safety, Zunca was arrested after the stop and taken to jail.
He was cited for several vehicle-related violations, including prohibited use of flashing lights, driving a vehicle while displaying flashing lights, operating on a highway with a visible blue device, and using flashing lights on an unauthorized vehicle.
He was also charged with impersonating a police officer.
The charges centered on the combination of the van’s appearance and the activated emergency-style lights.
A vehicle can be decorated for nonprofit, security, or community purposes without crossing the line. But adding police labels, blue devices, red-and-blue flashing lights, badges, and law-enforcement-looking gear creates a much different situation.
The danger is easy to understand.
Drivers may pull over, obey commands, or feel intimidated because they believe they are dealing with a real police unit. In a worst-case scenario, a fake police vehicle can be used to isolate or manipulate someone who thinks they have no choice but to comply.
That is why even people who say they are only doing outreach or public-safety work can still face legal trouble if their presentation looks too much like official law enforcement.
Court Records Show A Plea Agreement
Midwest Safety said the case later ended in a plea agreement.
According to the channel’s report, Zunca pleaded guilty to driving on a highway with a visible blue device.
The remaining charges were dropped as part of the agreement.
He was ordered to remove the word “police” and any blue emergency lights from his van.
The channel also reported that confiscated badges, uniforms, and police-related paraphernalia were not returned.
That outcome may look relatively limited compared with the original list of allegations, but it still carries a clear message: the state did not allow the police-style appearance of the vehicle to continue.
The legal system may have resolved the case through a narrower charge, but the stop showed how quickly a confusing vehicle can trigger a serious investigation.
A Reminder That Appearance Matters
The Midwest Safety footage is unusual because Zunca was not accused of simply wearing a police-style shirt or collecting memorabilia.
The concern was the full package: flashing emergency lights, police markings, a van that looked like an official vehicle, law-enforcement-style equipment, and statements suggesting he had once been an officer.
Each element on its own might invite questions. Together, they created enough concern for an officer to stop the van, detain the driver, search the vehicle, and make an arrest.
The case also shows why officers are trained to be cautious around suspected impersonators.
Someone willing to present themselves as law enforcement may have weapons, restraints, badges, or other gear that can confuse both the public and responding officers. Even when an item later turns out to be a replica, it may still look real during a tense roadside encounter.
For Zunca, the traffic stop ended with criminal charges, confiscated equipment, and a court order to remove the police language and blue lights from his vehicle.
For everyone else, the lesson is simpler: looking like police, acting like police, and using police-style lights without legal authority can turn a strange roadside sight into a criminal case very quickly.
Ed spent his childhood in the backwoods of Maine, where harsh winters taught him the value of survival skills. With a background in bushcraft and off-grid living, Ed has honed his expertise in fire-making, hunting, and wild foraging. He writes from personal experience, sharing practical tips and hands-on techniques to thrive in any outdoor environment. Whether it’s primitive camping or full-scale survival, Ed’s advice is grounded in real-life challenges.
