America
Bizarre US fake-police force included Kamala Harris aide
Washington, May 7
A bizarre fake-police force
group claiming to be descendants of ancient Knights Templar that
included an aide to California Indian-American attorney general Kamala
Harris has been arrested.
Besides Brandon Kiel, an aide to
Harris, the group included David Henry and Tonette Hayes. All the three
have been charged with impersonating police officers, the Los Angeles
Times reported citing County Sheriff's Captain Roosevelt Johnson.
Harris has received regular briefings on the case since it began.
"The
attorney general has been concerned about these serious allegations
from the point she was first briefed on this investigation," David
Beltran, a spokesman for the state Department of Justice told the Times.
"Our office has been cooperating with investigators from the beginning and will continue to do so."
Johnson,
according to the Times, thought it was odd when three people - two of
them dressed in police uniforms he didn't recognize - strolled into the
Santa Clarita station in February.
One man introduced himself as
chief of the Masonic Fraternal Police Department and told Johnson this
was a courtesy call to let him know the agency was setting up shop in
the area.
Henry, Hayes and Kiel had allegedly introduced themselves to police agencies across the state, though it is unclear why.
A
website claiming to represent their force cites connections to the
Knights Templars that they say go back 3,000 years. The site also said
that the department had jurisdiction in 33 states and Mexico.
"When
asked what is the difference between the Masonic Fraternal Police
Department and other police departments, the answer is simple for us. We
were here first!" the website said.
Los Angeles County
prosecutors said the whole effort was a ruse, though for what purpose
remains unclear. The investigation is continuing.
During their
search of two locations, police said, they recovered badges, ID cards,
weapons, uniforms, police-type vehicles and other law enforcement
equipment, according to The Sacramento Bee.
Kiel went by the title of "Deputy Director of Community Affairs" has been placed on administrative leave.
Henry
(a grand master), Kiel (a grand high priest) and Hayes (a minister)
were featured in 2012 photos published by the Los Angeles Sentinel, a
weekly African American-owned newspaper, it said.
Henry and Kiel
also appear in a YouTube video posted last summer, with Kiel wearing a
suit and bow tie and describing his official duties under Harris.