ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.
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So far this year, Albuquerque police said criminals have impersonated officers during four home invasions and two armed robberies.
This summer, the police department got its patch and badge copyrighted, making them illegal to sell online and hopefully making it harder for criminals to impersonate officers.
An Internet search showed many law enforcement badges and patches were for sale, but not APD's.
If someone tells you he or she is a police officer, but you're not sure, you can ask an officer to see a badge and commission card.
You can also wait to pull over in a populated area for a traffic stop, or call the department and check on a person's status.
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