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Written by K Bishop
Published September 22, 2022 @ 2:48 PM ET
Chatham County – Savannah Police arrested a 20-year-old National Guardsman wearing military fatigues and a bulletproof vest labeled ‘POLICE.’ He was armed with two BB guns and carrying handcuffs in his pocket.
The Guardsman, Dontavis Gadson, was working security for a party. He told police his command authorized him to work the event “as long as they pay him good.”
The uniform, body armor, and guns made Gadson appear to be Military Police.
Gadson told police the woman hosting the party gave him the police vest and handcuffs. He is not licensed to work as an armed guard and is not employed as one, nor is he Military Police.
Savannah police notified Hunter Army Airfield Military Police of the arrest, who placed a hold for Gadson.
If convicted, Gadson faces a fine of up to $1,000 and could also be sentenced to one to five years in prison, or both.
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the officer’s narrative report. We do not fix any spelling or grammatical errors. Any changes made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist.]
On 8/19/2022 at 22:39, I was dispatched to 5402 Skidaway Rd in reference to a report of an unauthorized party at the location and the property owner was requesting police respond. The caller advised that individuals were checking IDs at the front door and there were already over 50 individuals there.
Upon my arrival, I spoke with the property owner about the unauthorized event, and he requested that everyone on the property leave. As I was speaking with the property, a black male in military fatigues, body armor, black police vest, and 2 pistols in holsters walked towards me. The individual in military fatigues, later identified as Dontavis Gadson, advised that he was working security at the event and was inquiring if the event was going to be shut down. I advised Mr. Gadson that the property owner wanted the individuals off the property. Mr. Gadson advised that he was working security for the event and appeared to be dressed like a military police officer.
Mr. Gadson advised that he was authorized by his command to work the event as long as they pay him good. Mr. Gadson explained that he was hired by a female that was running the event. Mr. Gadson stated that if the event was going to be shut down that he was going to go home. Mr. Gadson stated that girl that hired him paid the owner to have the event. Mr. Gadson stated that he I asked Mr. Gadson if he was a MP (Military Police) and he at first ignored my question, so I asked again. Mr. Gadson asked why I was asking if he was. I asked him a third time if he was a MP and he stated that he did not have to answer that question. Mr. Gadson then stated that he was just security and was asked to work private security for the event.
I pointed my light at Mr. Gadson’s cloth badge on his vest and saw that it identified him as a police officer. Mr. Gadson explained that he did not know that the badge on his vest had police written on it. Mr. Gadson stated that he could take it off and disarm himself. I instructed Mr. Gadson to not touch his firearms. I requested a supervisor and additional officers to respond to assist. Mr. Gadson informed me that he was not licensed to work armed security. Mr. Gadson stated that he was not working with any security service and instead works on his own.
Mr. Gadson informed me that he is in the military but not as a military police officer. Mr. Gadson stated that he did not have his license on his person and proceeded to give me his name and information. Mr. Gadson stated that he is an infantryman in the National Guard. As additional officers responded to the scene I disarmed and detained Mr. Gadson in handcuffs. As I was disarming Mr. Gadson, I observed that the back panel on Mr. Gadson’s vest and body both had a black with reflective lettering police placard. I placed Mr. Gadson’s BB guns on the front seat of my patrol vehicle then placed him in the backseat.
As I was running Mr. Gadson’s information, he requested to speak with me regarding the situation. I explained to Mr. Gadson that he was impersonating a police officer. Mr. Gadson explained that the person that hired him for security gave him the police vest and told him to stand by the back door and that if anyone tried to come out through the back door to bring them back to the front of the building. Mr. Gadson then clarified that his sergeant at his unit authorized him to work the event and that was the person in his chain of command that authorized him to work the event in uniform. Mr. Gadson stated that he was not 21 years of age so he could not carry a firearm.
A supervisor responded to the scene. Mr. Gadson was then arrested for impersonating a police officer. As I searched Mr. Gadson’s person, I removed a set of handcuffs from his back pocket, a black police vest, a belt with two holsters, body armor with a police panel on the back and two BB guns. Mr. Gadson explained that the handcuffs in his back pocket were also given to him by the female running the event and that he was supposed to use the handcuffs to move individual through the party. Mr. Gadson property that was transported with him to the jail consisted of $20, a cell phone, his ID, and patrol cap.
I then transported Mr. Gadson to the Chatham County Detention Center where he was booked into the facility. I then logged the set of handcuffs from his back pocket, a black police vest, a belt with two holsters, body armor with a police panel on the back and two BB guns into the property room as evidence. This concludes my involvement in the matter. Hunter Army Airfield MP station was notified of Mr. Gadson arrest and placed a hold for Mr. Gadson.
[End of Narrative]