Walked in while guy was eating while wearing a long sleeve pull-over shirt black and ball cap with the word POLICE on both. Had a funny short haircut, almost a shaved head with some front to back lines left intact, a funny pattern, nothing looking remotely regulation.
Was acting goofy, in a most non-professional manor. Goofy.
Had no badge, no sidearm, a shitty cobra FRS blister-pack $15 radio, a small can of joggers pepper spray clipped and not in a carrier and a pair of handcuffs laid over his belt in the small of his back, no carrier to retain them(would make a wonderful melee weapon for someone to grab).
He left shortly after myself and my co-worker sat down (we were in uniform).
Sat my spidey-sense off. Partner had the same observations when we left.
Guy looked like a mall-cop or low-rent security. Did not at all appear to be a sworn LEO of any sort. I strongly suspect he was a guard at a mine site or an equipment storage area.
Kind of wondered if I should have ran out and got his plate and turned it in to one of my contacts in the State Police or DNR when I passed the Detachment later. Does wearing the marked shirt and hat constitute intent to impersonate a police officer minus a shield and ID?
I have seen some local small town police in plain clothes from time to time but they had a proper duty belt, sidearm and their shield. When I see a belt of worn basket-weave leather with a Safarland retention holster on a Glock, it looks a lot more legit. This guy just looked totally out of place, looke more like a druggie than a cop. If he had a sidearm, the only thing that would have fit hid demeanor would have been a Taurus Judge:haha:
We have a few of these types around here. I think they just got done watching Superbad and now want to be cops. We usually chuckle and then go about our business.
Wearing police apparel really isn’t the issue, attempting to use the authority of a LEO is. Attempting to make an arrest or detaining someone would be trouble. I doubt we could get charges to stick around here unless they attempted to use authority. Maybe if he had a full uniform, patches and all I could see something going down, but hard to get there just with a goofball in a t-shirt.
The world is full of wanna-be and fanboys.
Wearing the shirt a shirt that identifies you as a police officer is pretty tactically stupid. Some wacko walks in there with a gun, guess who’s going to be a prime target.
Don’t try that in Florida where impersonating a police officer is a felony. I was riding my bicycle on the local trail and passed two women with bicycles and two men without standing and talking. Something didn’t seem right. I asked if everything was OK, the men both said “yes” and women both said “no”. The men were impersonating police officers and hassling the women but could not produce ID but did threaten me with arrest. I called the local Sheriff’s office and put the dispatcher on speaker and the two hauled ass. They were in custody within an hour. Both got felony convictions and prison time.
Impersonating a police officer is a felony in most, if not all states. Whether wearing a t shirt and hat that says “Police” constitutes the elements of the crime, depends on the state, and what the guy was doing.
It would only become an issue if someone’s actions would give someone else reason to believe they were trying to take action as a police officer. For example, I wouldn’t want to get into any kind of altercation while wearing something that said “police”, if I wasn’t a cop.
It was more than just a shirt. It included a police labeled ballcap and a very gimpy duty belt with semi-functional crap equipment. The totality of his garb and gear leads a reasonable man to conclude he was attempting to impersonate LEO IMO.
He was clearly trying, albeit poorly, to project the image of someone official. I have worked in conjunction with CO’s who wear a logo’ed T-Shirt at times in the Summer and they always put their shield on their belt or on their body armor over the shirt.
I know anyone can buy a shield on the interwebz but to me, wearing one on your person is kind of the ‘crossing the Rubicon’ moment. If you wear one, you better be who you say your are.
People like to buy police gear and impersonate cops to break into houses a la “SWAT raid”, pull women over and rape them, etc. Sporting your local PD hat to show your support is one thing but sporting a shirt, belt and other gear is taking it too far. You’re either up to no good or you need to get back on the short bus, I don’t see any other reason.
technically speaking, in Oregon, you could put on a Portland Police uniform, provided it wasn’t stolen, a sidearm, get a correct haircut, ASP, x26, double cuff carrier w/ cuffs, armor, etc, etc, etc, and roll around in a retired interceptor… and you’re breaking no laws, so long as that’s ALL you do. the ORS for impersonating requires the individual attempt to act under the color of the law. so long as that element isn’t met, the law is not violated. he’s have to try to pull somebody over, or detain someone, etc.
you could even announce to people “i’m a portland police officer.” still aren’t meeting the elements of impersonating, unless your announcement was accompanied by an order, instructions, suggestions, etc., presented as though from an authority.
check your criminal code… some are really loose, some are lot tighter.
Correct, though at least in CA, for someone wearing a “police” shirt, that order, instructions, suggestions, etc. could be inferred, if a reasonable person would be led to believe they were attempting any of them.