A Warrington Township man is accused of pretending to be a security officer for a park in the township, where he allegedly threatened, questioned or ejected children and parents from the park and its premises on four occasions since Aug. 11, 2024.
Daryl Rose Clifton, 58, of the 1200 block of Suzanne Drive, was charged Friday via summons by Warrington Township Police with misdemeanor impersonating a public servant for an offense that occurred in Doctor Adams Community Park, 2235 Oxford Dr. on Sept. 5 at 12:36 p.m.
Police said there were four alleged instances of Clifton impersonating a security officer or police officer.
On Aug. 11, police responded to the park for a complaint of a man yelling and identifying himself as police, per the affidavit. Police said the juvenilie victim was yelled at by Clifton about how he was using the park and its equipment. Clifton, they allege, told all the children to exit the park and identified himself as Clifton.
Police said he showed a badge that was for a security job at his employer in Philadelphia. According to the report, police advised Clifton not to use the badge anymore. Clifton then told police he was a volunteer for the parks and recreation department, police said.
Police determined that Clifton was neither a volunteer nor employed by Warrington Township.
On Sept. 5, police received a second complaint at the park. In this complaint, police allege Clifton approached a juvenile brother and sister and yelled at them that they had to exit the park because it was closed.
The children returned home to inform their father of the incident, who then approached Clifton, police said, and asked who he worked for. Clifton, police said, refused to answer, but flashed a badge.
On a third incident, on Sept. 14, police responded to a complaint of a suspicious occurrence near the park, police said. A victim told police he was parked in the rear of Boss Barbershop, 1111 Easton Road, which is alongside the park, per the complaint.
Police said Clifton approached the car, identified himself as “sergeant,” and took a flashlight and shined it in the victim’s face while telling him he was not permitted to park there.
On a fourth incident, on Sept. 16, police received a complaint involving a father who received a phone call from his daughter, police said. In this case, the victim said she entered the park at 8 p.m., when she heard someone yell, “Get out or I will f--- you up,” police said. The father approached the man, and asked for his name and credentials, per the complaint.
Police allege Clifton said he was security for the park and worked for the township, said his badge was at home, and then identified himself by name.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 28 at 10:30 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Stacy Wertman.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
