A motorist left traumatized after being ordered to stop on a motorway by a man impersonating a police officer has been informed that there will be no criminal investigation,

with police declining to engage with the suspect face-to-face.

The woman, identified by the pseudonym Lisa, recounted her distressing experience, where the imposter, brandishing what appeared to be a police warrant card, drove aggressively and signaled her to pull over on the M1 in Leicestershire. Fearful of a situation akin to the Wayne Couzens case, Lisa chose not to stop, an incident that has now led to apologies from two police forces.

Wayne Couzens infamously used his police warrant card to falsely apprehend Sarah Everard in 2021, leading to her tragic rape and murder.

Lisa, who has chosen to remain anonymous, reported the incident to the police upon exiting the motorway and provided the man's car registration details. Subsequently, investigations revealed that the individual was not a police officer but had previously worked in a civilian capacity for the force, having left the role months prior to Lisa's report.

Recalling the harrowing encounter, Lisa described how the man, driving alongside her, aggressively demanded she pull over, causing her immense distress and anxiety. Despite reporting the incident promptly, bureaucratic delays and miscommunication between police forces hindered the investigation, with crucial CCTV footage unavailable by the time authorities intervened.

Northamptonshire Police's handling of the matter, initially treated as a complaint rather than a crime, compounded Lisa's anguish. The subsequent investigation, delayed due to misinformation and procedural mishaps, resulted in the case exceeding the six-month prosecution limit for impersonating a police officer.

Expressing her frustration with the police response, Lisa remains deeply affected by the incident, emphasizing the urgency for improved procedures and support for victims in such situations. She reflects on the potential consequences had she complied with the imposter's demands, underscoring the severity of the threat posed by individuals exploiting the guise of law enforcement. Photo by M1 motorway from a footbridge by Peter Barr, Wikimedia commons.