A well-known Oak Harbor man who allegedly was impersonating a police officer for years was recently arrested.

Jim Bailey, 69, created a potentially dangerous situation by claiming to be a cop, according to Oak Harbor Police Chief Ed Green.

Bailey has never been a police officer but has conducted training and lectures as “a retired police officer” around the state, Green said.

“Just portraying yourself as an officer is a crime if you are not one,” Green said.

Police are hoping to hear from individuals and organizations that may have been a victim of the impersonation in the past. People can speak to a detective at 360-279-4600.

Bailey’s attorney, Chris Skinner of Oak Harbor, wrote in an email that Bailey was a reserve officer and worked in an administrative position with the department years ago.

Skinner asserts that Bailey didn’t pretend to be a current police officer in the recent incident. He said Bailey entered a not guilty plea to the misdemeanor charge of criminal impersonation and will defend the case at trial if it’s not dismissed before then.

“Instead of just issuing Mr. Bailey a citation in municipal court,” Skinner wrote, referring to the Oak Harbor police, “they insisted on bringing in law enforcement officers from the sheriff’s department as well as several OHPD officers and then they made an arrest in public. No reason for it.”

Capt. Teri Gardner with the Oak Harbor Police Department said Bailey should not be confused with Detective Sgt. Mike Bailey, a longtime member of the police department. Green said the two men are distant relatives.

For that reason, Detective Sgt. Bailey hasn’t been involved in the investigation.

The allegations against Jim Bailey stem from an incident on Aug. 6. A woman and a man were involved in a verbal argument in the area of Northeast Harvest Drive and Northeast Faber Street. Jim Bailey intervened and reportedly identified himself as a retired police officer.

Jim Bailey told the couple to call 911 and tell the dispatcher that an officer needed assistance, according to Green.

Green said the phrase “officer needs assistance” is something that cops take very seriously and meant that law enforcement needlessly rushed to the scene, creating a risky situation for the community.

“It gets everybody going,” he said.

Skinner, on the other hand, characterized Bailey as a “Good Samaritan” in the case. Bailey allegedly intervened when it appeared that a man was hitting a woman inside a car.

“He was not wearing anything nor did he say anything that suggested he was pretending to be a police officer,” Skinner wrote. “He has been a police officer in the past so maybe his demeanor created a misapprehension.”

Since the incident, detectives have worked with the State Patrol’s Criminal Investigative Division to look into Bailey’s background and determined that he’s never been a police officer, according to the chief.

Investigators also served a search warrant on Bailey’s residence and car and seized “numerous items,” according to Green. He said the evidence suggests that Bailey may have been impersonating a police officer for years and may have benefited fiscally.

Green said Bailey worked as a grant coordinator for the police department for a short time years ago.

Bailey has been identified as a former police officer in several Whidbey News-Times articles and letters to the editor over the years. Several articles detail his work teaching personal security and safety classes.

Bailey is well known as part of Daybreak Trio, which has performed at many community events over the years.

Former Mayor Jim Slowik said he’s known Bailey for years and always has had a lot of respect for him. He said he’s never heard Bailey say that he was a law enforcement officer, but that he has a degree in criminal justice.

“I’ve always thought highly of him,” he said. “It’s hard to digest.”