Parkville Man Arrested For Impersonating Police Officer Has History Of Posing As A Cop

PARKVILLE, Md. (WJZ)-- A Baltimore County man is arrested for allegedly impersonating police officers, and now WJZ uncovers some troubling new details about his prior criminal record.

Monique Griego has more on Derek Propalis' extensive rap sheet.

Propalis was first arrested back in 1998 after police found weapons, police gear and drugs stashed in his basement.

Derek Propalis, 59, isn't a cop but police say he likes to act like one.

Back in January, an officer pulled him over for speeding in this phony police car, and says Propalis was wearing a police uniform.

"The man gets out of the car wearing a Virginia State Trooper's uniform. The car is equipped with lights and siren," Elise Armacost, spokeswoman for the Baltimore County Police Department, said.

But this isn't the first time he was caught with cop gear. In 1998, Baltimore City Police found an arsenal of weapons stashed in his basement, along with ammunition, knives, police gear, bulletproof vests and a bag of marijuana.

"I knew they raided it but I didn't know what they found," Propalis' neighbor Bill Pearce said.

Pearce lives a few doors down from Propalis' new home on Garnet Road in Parkville. When county authorities raided the house, they found patches for Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Maryland State and Virginia State Police, along with police uniforms and equipment.

One neighbor defended Propalis saying they knew he liked to dress up like a cop but considered it a quirky habit. They don't believe he was doing anything illegal.

Pearce doesn't buy that.

"To me you don't go out dressing like a police officer unless you're trying to do something wrong," he said.

Police also think Propalis may have been doing more than just playing dress-up.

"If he has tried to pull you over or otherwise indicted to you that he is a police officer, we would like to know about that," Armacost said.

WJZ tried to speak with Propalis Friday but someone at the home declined to comment.

Propalis is currently on home detention without bond.