ASHLAND, Ky. — A former Coal Grove Police Officer is now behind bars after impersonating a law enforcement officer in Ashland.

Joshua C. Hayes, of Ashland, and a recently fired Coal Grove Police Officer, was arrested Tuesday at his home and charged with impersonating a police officer and carrying a concealed deadly weapon.

According to a release from the Ashland Police Department, Hayes was stopped on the 13th Street Bridge in Ashland on July 15 by the APD Street Crimes Task Force. When asked for his driver’s license, Hayes produced a Coal Grove Police Department identification card.

Lt. Darren Wilson, APD Criminal Investigations and Street Crimes Task Force Commander said he couldn’t give details on why Hayes was initially stopped, but said he wasn’t detained because of the ID and that Hayes said he was in Ashland working on an investigation.

“We contacted Chief (Eric) Spurlock of the Coal Grove Police Department to verify his story that he told the officers on the bridge and that’s when we were notified that he had been terminated from Coal Grove PD a little over a month before,” Wilson said.

Spurlock told the APD that Hayes was terminated on June 7.

Spurlock said Hayes was terminated because “he didn’t follow proper procedures.” He also said it is policy to retrieve police department identification upon termination but Hayes had not turned his in.

“We’ve been trying to get it back from him for some time.” said Spurlock.

Upon learning this APD obtained warrants to arrest Hayes at his home on Thomas Street in Ashland.

Hayes is being held in the Boyd County Detention Center.