FRANKLIN, Wis. — A Franklin man has been charged after claiming he was a peace officer and attempting to pat down a woman Dec. 16 at a Walgreens store.
Lucas VanEngen, 29, reportedly entered the Walgreens on West Loomis Road, claiming to be an off-duty police officer and said he needed to pat down a female customer. A Walgreens manager told VanEngen that he would "absolutely not" be unnecessarily patting down the woman, according to a criminal complaint.
VanEngen originally encountered the woman when she was seeking help after locking her keys in her vehicle. That is when he identified himself as an "officer."
A Walgreens employee told police that VanEngen regularly visits the store, sometimes wearing a tactical vest and handgun.
VanEngen has been charged with one count of impersonating a peace officer as well as disorderly conduct. If convicted, VanEngen faces fines up to $11,000 and/or one year in prison.
