Bob Kasarda

PORTAGE — A former Gary reserve police officer, who left the department seven years ago, faces a felony count of impersonating a public servant after allegedly being found wearing his former badge with a handgun during a recent traffic stop, according to Porter County police.

The driver, who is not yet being named because charges had not been officially filed by early Wednesday, was picked up Tuesday afternoon during a traffic stop along westbound Interstate 94 in Portage, police said.

After his vehicle was stopped for allegedly having a dark tinted cover over the license plate, the driver alerted police he was wearing a gun on his hip and then lifted his shirt to reveal the weapon and badge next to it, according to the arrest report.

"The badge had an elastic band across i

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