While most use tactical pants for good, there are some who think they can slip on a pair of cargos and pretend to be a do-gooder when they are, in fact, endangering others. And not to mention, breaking the law.

Take Zachary Paul Harris for instance. The 22-year-old previously served a five-year sentence for posing as a Texas marshal (which, to his dismay, don’t exist) and now is accused of posing as a paramedic, reports the Amarillo Globe-News.

“It’s a bizarre situation,” Jeremy Fowler, Randall County assistant director, told the newspaper. “I’ve never seen someone try to impersonate a paramedic.”

According to the report, Mr. Harris sported cargo pants that appeared to look like the typical tactical pants often worn by paramedics and other emergency medical service personnel.

Although this is very bizarre indeed, it’s sad to say, Mr. Harris is not alone in his quest to pose as a public servant. Last year an Oregon man pretended to be not only a paramedic but a firefighter as well. However, this man wasn’t actually trying to treat people. Rather, he was buying and selling medical equipment.

And then there’s “Sgt. Bill,” who fooled an entire Missouri town when he became a fictitious undercover cop. In this particular case, the man, Bill Jakob, was able to keep the hoax going on for months — actually making real arrests and drug busts. Mr. Jakob is now serving a five-year prison sentence for impersonating a federal officer among other things.

So, the next time a random paramedic/cop tries to assist you/arrest you, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask for credentials.

(Images via Wikimedia Commons)