Florida man flashed badge to get discount at McDonald's, police say

TITUSVILLE, Fla. — A 48-year-old Titusville man was arrested Tuesday afternoon after being accused of flashing a badge in an attempt to receive a discount on food at a McDonald's restaurant, the Titusville Police Department said.

>> Read more trending news

Police said they were called shortly after 1 p.m. to the restaurant after a manager said the man flashed a badge to try to receive a discount.

The manager said it was not the first time the man had done so, an arrest report said.

Investigators said Albert James McDaniel was stopped for tinted windows while driving away from the restaurant.

Police said he handed a police officer a wallet containing a U.S. Corrections LLC. extradition officer badge with an expiration date of Dec. 31, 2020.

The report said McDaniel gestured toward the badge and asked for a "professional courtesy" in reference to the traffic stop.

McDaniel said he was on duty for three weeks and off duty for three weeks and that his vehicle's license plate would trace back to the sheriff's office, the arrest report said.

The report said he told the officer that he had asked a McDonald's employee if he could receive a discount if he were wearing a uniform but did not display a badge.

McDaniel told the office he worked for U.S. Corrections but was collecting workers' compensation payments and was on light duty, the report said.

Police said they had received previous reports about him displaying law enforcement credentials at other restaurants in an effort to obtained discounted food.

The officer said he called Prisoner Transportation Services of America, and an employee said Albert used to work for the company and had credentials in 2018 but was terminated in July 2018 and was supposed to surrender the credentials.

Albert was arrested on charges of falsely impersonating an officer.

McDaniel admitted to lying to the officer and said he has not worked for U.S Corrections since February and that he asked for a "professional courtesy" to avoid a ticket, the report said.

He told the officer he had previously tried to receive a discount at an Outback Steakhouse restaurant on Merritt Island.

McDaniel was booked into the Brevard County Jail on charges of falsely impersonating an officer.

Cox Media Group