‘Impostor Training’ Aims To Root Out Identity Thieves. But Some See Racial Profiling
Officer James Scott of the Saugus Police Department holds up a placard with the categories of so-called “impostors” during an impostor training class at Bristol County Jail and House of Correction in North Dartmouth. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR
Detectives, booking officers and county jail sergeants sit side-by-side at the Bristol County Jail and House of Correction, flipping through documents and looking for tips.
They’re searching for details that could unmask an impostor.
Saugus police officer James Scott stands at the front of the room, hoisting up poster boards with notes on the different categories of impostors.
“Previous to this class, all of these guys were just looking at a driver’s license and accepting it at face value,” Scott says. “After you take the class, you realize, let me look at the identity behind the driver’s license — ’cause it’s a real license, it’s issued by the registry — let me look at that identity that’s behind it and see how many are people are using it.”