Recently, there has been an uptick of individuals posing as police officers for deceptive purposes. Impersonating a police officer is the illegal act of inaccurately portraying oneself as a police officer, generally with the intent of using such authority to commit offenses that they would not otherwise be able to get away with. Motivation behind this impersonation could include the desire to invade someone else’s home, commit robbery, or violate traffic laws.

So what constitutes a police officer impersonation?

The Maryland statues and codes define a “police officer” as a member of any Maryland police force or another state’s police force, a uniformed member of the United States Secret Service, FBI, DEA, or any other federal agency division that is responsible for investigating and detaining individuals suspected of committing federal crimes.

Here are some of the prohibited acts of posing as a police officer that are punishable by law:

  • A person that verbally falsely represents himself or herself as a police officer.
  • Wearing any type of police articles of clothing. This includes a uniform, badge, ID, shield, button, or patch that has been designated to be worn by the Department of State Police. This also includes wearing any imitations of such articles.
  • Placing lights, decals, or other equipment on a personal vehicle in order to disguise it as a police car.

What are the consequences of impersonating a police officer?

There are some serious consequences that come along with impersonating a police officer in the state of Maryland, which is why you’ll want to select an experienced criminal defense attorney if you have been accused of such a crime.

Outlined below are some of the consequences of impersonating a police officer according to Maryland statutes and codes:

  • Posing as a police officer is considered to be a misdemeanor in the State of Maryland.
  • Someone that is inaccurately portraying himself or herself as a police officer is subject to up to two years of imprisonment.
  • A person found guilty of a police officer impersonation may be required to pay a fine of up to $2,000.
  • In some cases, the conviction of this misdemeanor may result in both prison time and paying a fine.

Maryland has a strong interest in assuring the public that its officers of the law are who they say to be, and anyone that violates the law by impersonating a police officer is subject to serious penalty.