Police: Hicksville man arrested after pretending to be cop

A driver used an air horn and emergency lights to pull over a van Friday in Hicksville — but it happened to be occupied by Nassau County detectives so he tried to escape by speeding off, Nassau police said.

Valiery Portlock, 25, was in a Nissan Sentra going north on Hicksville Road about 11 a.m., near Roosevelt Avenue, when he tried to pull over an unmarked van carrying electronics squad detectives, police said. The van stopped and as detectives approached with their police shields and identified themselves, Portlock drove off, swerving onto oncoming traffic, police said.

Speeding at 85 mph, he got onto the Long Island Expressway, authorities said, and Nassau police highway patrol officers soon spotted the vehicle and stopped it.

Portlock, of Gerald Avenue in Hicksville, was arrested and charged with first-degree criminal impersonation of an officer — a felony — second-degree reckless endangerment and unlawful fleeing from a police officer — both misdemeanors — as well as several vehicle and traffic violations, according to online court records.

He was arraigned Saturday in First District Court in Hempstead and released on his own recognizance, online court records said. He is represented by Legal Aid Society of Nassau County and his next court appearance is Thursday.