LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — Gwinnett leaders are denying any wrongdoing after arresting a man for impersonating an officer. He says he has proof he works for the feds.
Barton Wade insisted that day and still insists today that he’s a federal officer, and he never should have been arrested or spent hours in jail for impersonating a cop.
Channel 2′s Tony Thomas has been looking into the federal lawsuit and Wade’s claims.
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Gwinnett County lawyers responded to the federal lawsuit saying they aren’t liable.
Wade told Lawrenceville police he was an officer 15 times during the event in 2019. Wade was at the grocery store trying to hire kids to help him move when someone complained.
The next day, he showed Thomas around his new home and told his story again.
“I’m telling these people now, this is the 16th time, I am a police officer,” Wade said.
Lawrenceville police say they called veterans affairs to confirm, but were told Wade wasn’t active, and state records showed his certifications were suspended, so police charged Wade with impersonating an officer.
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The district attorney later dropped the case. Now, Wade is suing Gwinnett County, Lawrenceville police and the officers involved in federal court. Wade claims false arrest, mental anguish and says he was hurt when a fugitive squad arrested him days later.
Others who witnessed the incident support him.
“He didn’t harass nobody or nothing, he was just looking for young people to work,” witness Antoine Clark said.
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Officials won’t comment about pending litigation. The city of Lawrenceville has until the end of this month to respond in court to the lawsuit.
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