HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — An internal affairs investigation is underway after a police officer trainee with the Guam Police Department was arrested on Saturday.
Police confirmed the arrest and investigation of Jacob Christopher Quiambao Perez a day after The Guam Daily Post asked the department about an incident that allegedly involved Perez in Yona over the weekend.
He was arrested on suspicion of impersonating a public officer, standing/parked on travel portion, and harassment.
Perez was released from custody and the case has been handed over to the Office of the Attorney General.
Police responded to a disturbance along Route 4 in Yona on Saturday afternoon.
Perez was the one who made the call to dispatch regarding a shirtless man who was standing in the middle of the road and stopping cars, according to arrest records.
The shirtless man was identified in arrest records as Anthony Ogo Lizama Jr., who was also taken into custody. Lizama then filed a counter harassment complaint against Perez.
Perez said Lizama threw a beer can at his car and followed him after Perez told him to get off the road, reports state.
A witness told officers that Perez had identified himself as an off-duty police officer.
“Police officer trainees are not sworn officers up to the time of their completed curriculum portion that allows them to proceed to the on-the-job (OJT) training portion,” said GPD Spokesperson Officer Berlyn Savella. “Prior to going out on OJT, they’ll be sworn in.”
The Post confirmed the official identification cards given to police officer trainees states “this acknowledges that the bearer of this ID is a sworn officer of the Guam Police Department.”
Savella declined to comment on how Perez identified himself during the incident, noting the administrative action and review is ongoing.
Guam Police Department parked units are seen at the Dededo police precinct on March 7.
