Security guard pleads not guilty of impersonating Edmonds detective

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, September 9, 2025

EVERETT — The Bremerton security guard who police say posed as an Edmonds police detective pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal impersonation and unlawful possession of a firearm Monday in Kitsap County Superior Court.

Around 6:30 p.m. Sept. 4, Michael Scaletta-Teates, 49, from Lacey, arrived at an active police scene where a Bremerton officer was responding to reports of a fire at a parking garage on 875 6th Street, charging documents said. Scaletta-Teates arrived in an unmarked Ford Explorer with activated police lights, wearing body armor with “POLICE” and “SWAT” logos and a metallic Edmonds police badge, the documents said. He identified himself to Bremerton officers as an off-duty Edmonds police detective.

According to charging documents, the officer initially believed Scaletta-Teates, but grew suspicious due to the lack of a service weapon and that he was working as an off-duty security detail at the Salvation Army in a different city than he was allegedly employed.

When the officer recontacted Scaletta-Teates outside the Salvation Army, Scaletta-Teates said he had retired from Baltimore City after 27 years before working for the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. Scaletta-Teates told the officer he had worked for Edmonds for two years and was currently in the gang and intelligence division, charging documents said.

A Bremerton sergeant responded to requests for a second officer at the Salvation Army. He noted Scaletta-Teates’ duty flashlight was positioned behind his firearm holster, which would obstruct his ability to draw his firearm, and he appeared to have a budget model body camera that was not consistent with the AXON body camera carried by a majority of officers, the charging documents said.

While taking him into custody, officers found he was armed with a firearm and possessed a large amount of police equipment, a Bremerton Police Department social media post said.

In a social media post on Sept. 5, Edmonds police said they do not believe the man’s badge and equipment was lost or stolen from their department. According to charging documents, Edmonds Commander David Machado referred to the Scaletta-Teates’ credentials as a “Frankenbadge.”

Further investigation into Scaletta-Teates showed he did not currently have a driver’s license despite being eligible. A criminal history check showed he had served 185 days in 2016 for a felony hoax by false bomb in North Carolina, charging documents said.

Investigators contacted the owner of the security company Scaletta-Teates worked for, who said he was unaware Scaletta-Teates was acting as a police officer during his shift and that, per company policy, he was supposed to be unarmed and wear only the company logo. Earlier that evening, Scaletta-Teates had allegedly left the Salvation Army property to act as backup to officers responding to a trespassing call, charging documents said.

Kitsap Superior Court Judge Jennifer Forbes set Scaletta-Teates’ bail at $50,000 during his arraignment on Monday. His trial is scheduled for Nov. 3.

Jenna Millikan: 425-339-3035; jenna.millikan@heraldnet.com; X: @JennaMillikan