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Fired Groton Officer Flashed Badge; Charged with Impersonation after Being Let Go in Lowell Traffic Stop

Editor's Note: Reprinted with Permission from The Lowell Sun

by Lisa Redmond, lredmond@lowellsun.com

A fired Groton police officer who allegedly flashed his badge to get out of a crosswalk violation in Lowell is now charged with resisting arrest, assault and impersonating a police officer.

In Lowell District Court Tuesday, Eric M. Watkins, 42, of Lowell, was released on personal recognizance after pleading not guilty to impersonating a police officer, assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and a crosswalk violation.

Lowell police say they found in Watkins' apartment a Groton police identification card and patrolman's badge, a Massachusetts Police Association membership card, a card issued by the town of Groton certifying Watkins as an officer, and a black leather police wallet.

Watkins' attorney told Judge Thomas Brennan that Watkins denies the allegations.

Groton Police Chief Donald Palma did not return calls seeking comment Tuesday.

According to court documents, at 10:35 a.m. on Monday, Lowell Police Officer Scott Sauve saw a car on East Merrimack Street going 51 mph through a crosswalk. As Sauve approached the car, the driver flashed a Groton police badge and said he was rushing to a "family emergency." The driver identified himself as Kelsly Rasmure. Sauve told the man to drive more carefully and let him leave.

An hour later, Sauve was speaking to a Groton police officer on an unrelated matter when he asked about Rasmure's family emergency and offered to help in any way he could. But the Groton officer told Sauve there is no one named Kelsly Rasmure with the department.

Sauve then ran the license plate of the car he stopped. The car was registered to a person named Rasmure from Harvard. Harvard police checked on the vehicle and discovered Watkins was driving the vehicle. Watkins is related by marriage to the Rasmure family.

Sauve was told by Groton police that Watkins is a former Groton police officer who was terminated and told to turn in his badge and identification.

Groton Herald

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