Damini Ogulu (COL’24) was quick to recognize something was off when he received an out-of-the-blue phone call from an “Officer James from GUPD.”

“What threw me off initially was the concern and empathy in his voice,” Ogulu told The Heckler. “And then when he told me that they’d detained the intruder who had passed through New South last week, I knew he was bullshitting me.” 

Ogulu was one of dozens students contacted by the mysterious Officer James in late February. Students had generally positive interactions with the mystery policeman, but they had good reason to doubt his credibility. 

Aera Kim (SFS’22) received a text message from Officer James in the middle of her economics class. 

“I got a text from this guy claiming to work for GUPD, and he told me about a robbery that happened by my house on 35th, maybe minutes after it happened,” Kim said. “And almost immediately I was like ‘There’s no shot this dude is real.’”

GUPD confirmed 17 weeks after the calls surfaced that they did not have anyone named “James” on staff.