Police in Vancouver say a 34-year-old woman has been charged after allegedly impersonating a police officer at the city’s Remembrance Day ceremony. Officers attending the ceremony at the Victory Square cenotaph noticed the woman wearing camouflage combat-style clothing, body armour, tactical boots and a tactical vest equipped with military-style pouches, the Vancouver Police Department said Thursday. In a statement, the department said the woman was also displaying a “police-style badge on a chain and several police-related patches” on her clothing. When officers arrested the woman, she was found to be carrying a replica firearm, the statement said. Vancouver police spokesperson Const. Megan Lui said the department had roughly 120 officers deployed to Remembrance Day events across the city Wednesday. “Incidents like these serve as a reminder of the need for police presence at such important public events,” Lui said in a statement. The Vancouver woman has since been charged with one count of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, police said. City officials estimate upwards of 15,000 people attend the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Victory Square cenotaph each Nov. 11. This year marked the city’s 102nd consecutive Remembrance Day event at the cenotaph, while dozens of other events were held in communities across the province.
