Cops: Teen impersonated officer at Rockville Centre bars; had fake IDs, credit cards
Matthew Ettlinger, 16, of Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, was arrested Friday, Jan. 23, 2015, for allegedly impersonating a police officer at a bar on Park Avenue in Rockville Centre, village police said. Ettlinger was also found in possession of a forged NYPD ID card with his photo affixed and a shield number printed as well as forged driver's licenses and credit cards, police said.
A 16-year-old from Pennsylvania who was arrested after allegedly attempting to impersonate an NYPD officer at two bars in Rockville Centre on Friday night has been released to an adolescent probation program.
Matthew Ettlinger, who police said is from Schnecksville, northwest of Allentown, was arraigned Saturday in First District Court in Hempstead and charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and one count of false personation.
Nassau County District Court Judge Valerie Alexander transferred Ettlinger to the court's adolescent diversion program, which can offer drug and alcohol treatment and set educational and community work requirements. Alexander set a psychological evaluation as a condition of Ettlinger's participation.
Ettlinger's private attorney, Ronald Groman of Rockville Centre, told the court that his client was not guilty and is a straight-A 11th-grade student with no prior arrests. Groman declined to comment later.
Ettlinger, wearing a dark suit jacket, covered his head with a coat after his arraignment. A man who identified himself to the court as Ettlinger's father, but did not give his name, did not talk to reporters about the charges after the arraignment.
Police said Ettlinger was at a bar on Park Avenue about 8:15 p.m. when he approached the manager and identified himself as a police officer and produced a shield case with an NYPD identification card. Police did not disclose why he attempted to use the shield or how he procured it.
The manager grew suspicious and called Rockville Centre police. Officers found Ettlinger at another bar on Park Avenue, where they said he identified himself as a member of the NYPD to police and bar staff.
Ettlinger had a forged NYPD ID card with his photo affixed and a shield number printed on it, a forged New York State driver's license, a forged Colorado driver's license and two forged credit cards, police said.
He is due back in court Feb. 4.
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
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