Police impersonators attempt robbery

At approximately 12:56 a.m. Saturday morning Morristown Police Department officers were dispatched to the residence at 1111 Hillvale Drive to investigate a home burglary. The 911 caller stated that the perpetrators were still in the residence. Two suspects fled the scene as officers were arriving and police confronted a third suspect Cedric Turu Whiteside, 34, of Buffalo Trail. Mr. Whiteside was then taken into custody. The Morristown Police Department Special Response Team and Crisis Negotiation Team were called to the scene after victims gave conflicting information on the number of people involved in the burglary. Negotiators tried to contact anyone who might have still been in the residence and SRT members eventually entered the home and found no further suspects. The owner of the residence, Juan Carlos Rodriguez, 35, told officers that Mr. Whiteside stated to him and his family that he was a police officer and wore a badge which appeared to be a police badge and had a handgun. Mr. Whiteside was in possession of a badge and a pair of handcuffs at the time of his arrest. The handgun was later found in the residence. The victim reported to police that a driver’s license and $80 in cash was taken before the suspects fled. Mr. Whiteside will be charged with the felonies of aggravated robbery and impersonation of a police officer. The investigation will continue to try to identify and locate the additional suspects. Mr. Whiteside is currently being held in the Hamblen County jail. More information will be released as it becomes available.