CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. -- An Atlanta pastor traded the pulpit for a pair of handcuffs after authorities said he impersonated an officer during a traffic stop.

Anthony McMichael, who pastors a church in southeast Atlanta, was pulled over for allegedly speeding and was later arrested by Georgia State Patrol after investigators said he flashed a sheriff’s deputy badge.

“He was given the badge by the former sheriff. Victor Hill gave him this badge,” said Clayton County Chief Deputy Garland Watkins.

Current Clayton County Sheriff Kem Kimbrough said giving civilians badges has proved to be a major problem, and that Hill gave out real badges as if they were candy.

McMichael is also accused of posing as a Clayton County sheriff's deputy in his spare time.

“He's never been a Sheriff's deputy of Clayton County,” said Chief Deputy Garland Watkins.

Kimbrough told Channel 2 Action News reporter Tom Jones that when he took over for Victor Hill at the beginning of the year, he found out that non-employees had badges too. Kimbrough’s office said it asked McMichael to return the badge, which states that McMichael is a sworn deputy. A red stripe on the badge indicates that McMichael carries a weapon.

“He never returned the badge or the identification card,” said Watkins.

“That breaches the integrity of your agency and it breaches the public's trust of your agency,” said Watkins.

Jones tried contacting McMichael at his home and even went to his church, but was unsuccessful in reaching McMichael.

Because of the issues involving civilians with badges, the sheriff's office changed the design from a six-point star to a seven-point star.