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Man arrested for impersonating a Beach officer has police background

Posted at 6:09 PM, Apr 18, 2013
and last updated 2013-04-18 18:46:35-04

Chesapeake, Va. - Thomas Vankempen, 54, was arrested in Virginia Beach last week for impersonating a police officer, flashing a badge at a woman in traffic near Town Center.

After doing some background on Vankempen, it turns out he once did have a badge and lost it.

While working as a detention officer for Forsyth County, Georgia from 2008-2011, Vankempen fell asleep twice on the job, according to personnel records released by the county.

The records say that both times, Vankempen was caught asleep while working in the jail’s tower room.

In both cases, another deputy had to wake Vankempen up.

After three years and four incidents of neglecting his duty, Vankempen was fired in May of 2011.

Before his time in Georgia, Vankempen worked as a deputy in in Portsmouth.

Beach Police arrested Vankempen earlier this month for pretending to be a cop after they say he threatened to throw a woman in jail for speeding.

NewsChannel 3 has reached out to Vankempen twice. However, no one has answered the door at his Chesapeake home.