Aug. 23--A former Wilton Manors police officer is facing a misdemeanor charge for flashing her old badge and claiming to be a police officer to "get out of a ticket," according to a police report.
Marina Oliva Sweat, 43, resigned from the agency in May 2011. The traffic stop happened in April.
Sweat was stopped by a Broward Sheriff's Office deputy for not wearing her seat belt after she dropped her son off at school in Cooper City, the report said.
The traffic stop was a sting operation set up after complaints had been made about Sweat and the use of her badge, according to the report.
After Sweat showed the deputy her badge and expired police I.D. and said she was a canine officer, Wilton Manors Commander Ed Costello approached and called Sweat out for saying she still worked for the department, the report said.
Sweat then admitted that she was trying to "get out of a ticket," the report said.
She was given a notice to appear and her badge and police I.D. were confiscated.
--Tonya Alanez
Copyright 2012 - Sun Sentinel
