An El Paso, Texas, firefighter who challenged police at a bar about which public officials can perform occupancy checks was arrested and accused of "impersonating a public servant."
The man, Raymond Gino Estrada, 35, was arrested Nov. 16 and booked in the El Paso County jail on $1,000 bond, police said Monday. Online jail records Monday night did not indicate that he was being held; he did not respond to requests for comment.
The city's firefighters' union did not immediately respond, either.
The El Paso Police Department said officers in a downtown unit encountered Estrada when they went to a bar called Coconuts, which is behind police headquarters, to conduct an occupancy and noise check.
“Estrada, who was at the bar, began stating to the officers that only Fire Marshals were allowed to conduct occupancy checks,” police said in a statement.
He was arrested after he said he was a fire marshal, police said, adding that his statement was tantamount to claiming to be an officer of the law.
“Estrada was currently employed as a firefighter with the El Paso Fire Department but was not employed as a fire marshal,” police said.
A fire department spokesman said its fire marshals are "certified" law enforcement.
Fire Chief Mario D’Agostino said in a statement: "The El Paso Fire Department does not condone this type of behavior and takes it seriously. In addition to the criminal charges, the incident is currently under investigation by the department."
