New Orleans - A former New Orleans police officer who was fired after being convicted of fraud and obstruction of justice is now back in the spotlight.
This time, David Dotson is accused of impersonating a police officer.
Several French Quarter residents and workers say Dotson is posing as an officer to threaten people and demand money.
When Dave Dotson arrived at municipal court Monday, he was wearing a cap reading "NOPD." He parked his truck - with a license plate identifying him as a retired officer - in a space reserved for law enforcement.
But Dave Dotson is not a retired or current NOPD officer. He was fired in 2003 after being convicted of fraud and obstruction of justice in connection with a fake disability claim.
Dotson was sentenced to 21 months in prison. Now, four complainants say Dotson regularly poses as a police officer while in the French Quarter.
“He has flashing lights, he's got a police officer on duty sign in his window. He's got a badge and he's walking around saying he's NOPD" says Joe Miller.
This spring, realtor Finis Shelnutt hired Dotson to finish wood floors. Unhappy with the job, Shelnutt asked Dotson to re-do the work. Dotson complied but Shelnutt says he wanted to be paid twice.
Shelnutt paid Dotson for the extra materials but refused to pay twice for labor.
Shelnutt says Dotson regularly threatened him for the rest of the money.
"He kept coming to me. He'd have his police uniform on. It was more of an intimidation - pointing his finger at me - you're going to pay," says Shelnutt.
"He's in your face - 2 inches from your face, saying watch your back because I'm going to be gunning for you. That's kind of scary," says Miller.
Miller snapped of Dotson's truck parked illegally in the French Quarter, displaying a sign reading "police officer on duty, official business."
In late May, tensions boiled over when the complainants and Dotson ran into each other at a French Quarter restaurant. Tommy Lewis, still believing Dotson was an officer, called police to complain.
"He didn't behave like a police officer. They're not hateful. They're not going to stir up trouble," says Tommy Lewis.
Officers took statements from Miller, Shelnutt, Lewis and Raymond Ogrin. This is the receipt the men were given - the type of report is listed as "impersonating an officer." When the men later pulled the official report, it was classified only as miscellaneous. It details the dispute over the floors but does not include their statements accusing Dotson of identifying himself as an officer and threatening them.
"They just disappeared into thin air," says Lewis.
Since June, the complainants have been trying to figure out where the case stands and why their statements were not included in the incident report. Now that Dotson has received a summons to officially appear in court, they're hoping for answers and action.
"I'm here today to see if I can get some justice done. He can't get away with what he's doing," says Ogrin.
As for Dotson, he left the court house today minus the NOPD hat he wore on his way in. He didn't have much to say to us when asked about these allegations.
"It's only fair we let the courts handle this," says Dotson.
Dotson was supposed to appear before a judge Monday to address these allegations, but court was closed for Red Mass.
New Orleans police say wearing NOPD gear and having NOPD signs in a personal vehicle are not crimes by themselves. They may be unethical, but they're not illegal.
As far as the retired police officer license plates, NOPD says Dotson should not be allowed to have them since he was fired, but legally, the only thing state law requires is that an officer have served 12 years. Dotson served 18. The law doesn't say anything about what happens when an officer is fired.
