Broward woman accused of impersonating a police officer speaks out for the 1st time, says she's sorry
An accused police impersonator in Oakland Park is speaking out for the first time, telling CBS News Miami that she is sorry about what happened.
The president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association is also saying he is troubled by the accusations in this case.
In an exclusive interview with CBS News Miami, the accused police impersonator, 37-year-old Annie Flaherty, said, "I feel really bad that I caused any inconvenience. I feel bad for the neighbors if they feel like their privacy was violated. I honestly felt, given what I was doing, that I was doing the right thing. I heard something, and I acted on my gut."
Flaherty said she was not wearing a gun and did not threaten anybody.
"I was very nice and polite," she said.
When asked if she felt bad about what happened, Flaherty responded, "Of course, I do," adding, "We want a safe community and a happy community."
Flaherty is charged with one count of impersonating a police officer, a third-degree felony that can be punishable by up to five years in prison if there is a conviction.
The Broward Sheriff's Office says Flaherty was arrested April 4 after stopping at two homes while wearing a police-style badge on her hip. One neighbor reportedly said Flaherty was captured on their Ring cam saying she was searching for three stolen diamonds and someone named Eve. She reportedly said she was with "Miami-Dade Police," and when the neighbors said they did not know anything about the stolen diamonds, Flaherty said she would return with a search warrant.
CBS News Miami spoke with both of the neighbors, and they said they did not want to comment on camera. One of them said he shared his Ring cam video with BSO, but did not want to release it right now.
Steadman Stahl, president of the South Florida PBA, told CBS News Miami, "She was not an officer, and she was betraying what the badge is. It's a misleading of the public just for starters."
At Flaherty's home, CBS News Miami spoke with a man who said he is her friend and is a retired law enforcement officer.
He did not want to show all of his face or be identified, but said, "She has mental health issues. She is on medication, and she gets delusional sometimes. She was not a danger to the community, and she did not threaten anybody. She thought in her head that she was a law enforcement officer investigating a diamond theft that didn't occur."
The judge in this case found probable cause for the charges. Flaherty agreed to attend pretrial supervision meetings twice a week and submit to a mental health evaluation within 10 days.
Flaherty told CBS News Miami that she has learned her lesson and said she will never do this again.