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Gary Police Arrest Woman After Fake 'Officer Down' Went Out Over Police Radio

(CBS) -- Gary police arrested a woman early this morning for what they're calling a very disturbing crime.

At about 1:50 a.m., Gary police heard a call over their police radios of *officer down* by someone identifying herself as a fellow officer.

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Police spokeswoman Lt Dawn Westerfield says it turned out to be false alarm, but it prompted a huge response and triggered memories of a real call the department received just over a year ago.

Patrolman Jeffrey Westerfield was shot in his police car July 6 last year as he responded to a domestic disturbance call.

Spokeswoman Westerfield - who is the patrolman's ex-wife - says the fake call was very disturbing for those who responded and they're taking it very seriously.

Officers nearby arrived quickly and the department conducted a roll call of on-duty officers to make sure they were all ok, she says.

They found an empty squad car parked at the station with a broken window and the dispatch radio on.

A short time later, officers arrested a woman who was seen walking through the cars earlier.

The woman arrested has not yet been charged.

Carl Le'Ellis Blount has pleaded not guilty to Westerfield's murder. No trial date has been set.

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