When the Summit County Sheriff's Office arrested Christopher Hendon for impersonating an officer last week, it came as a surprise to officials at one local school.
According to our partners at the Akron Beacon Journal and Ohio.com, Hendon was a regular visitor to Leggett Elementary School.
Najmah Habeeb-Ullah, whose son Jewan Brooks is in second grade there, said she learned for the first time Wednesday that Hendon once brought Jewan home from school.
School officials told the Akron Beacon Journal they are still working to determine how this happened. Apparently no one at the school ever checked his ID.
“He did have the jargon. He did have the look.... He played the part pretty well,” Summit County Sheriff Steve Barry told the Akron Beacon Journal on Thursday.
READ: Akron school officials assumed visitor was a cop, never checked his ID (Ohio.com)
The Summit County Sheriff's Office arrested Hendon, 26, for trying to enter the Summit County Courthouse while impersonating a peace officer. He claimed to be working as part of a "Scared Straight" program.
According to investigators, on April 6, the Akron man arrived at the courthouse with a child in handcuffs and a firearm, claiming he was a resource officer. Court personnel contacted authorities about Hendon's suspicious activities.
Investigators determined that Hendon tried to enter a county courthouse on four occasions while dressed in tactical police attire and carrying a firearm. Another time Hendon tried to enter the Summit County Jail with handcuffed children.
On Monday, authorities executed a search warrant at Hendon's Akron home. Inside the home, investigators seized:
- a handgun
- a simulated firearm
- handcuffs
- law enforcement equipment
- a tactical vest
If you know anyone knows someone who participated in Hendon's supposed "Scared Straight Program," they should contact the Summit County Sheriff's Detective Bureau: 330-643-215.
