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§ 3-502. Impersonating police officer

West's Annotated Code of MarylandPublic SafetyEffective: October 1, 2012

West's Annotated Code of Maryland
Public Safety (Refs & Annos)
Title 3. Law Enforcement (Refs & Annos)
Subtitle 5. Miscellaneous Provisions (Refs & Annos)
Effective: October 1, 2012
MD Code, Public Safety, § 3-502
Formerly cited as MD CODE Art. 27, § 440
§ 3-502. Impersonating police officer
Currentness
“Police officer” defined
(a) In this section, “police officer” means a member of:
(1) a police force of this State or another state;
(2) a police force of a county or municipal corporation of this State or another state;
(3) the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division;
(4) the United States Park Police;
(5) the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Metro Transit Police;
(6) the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
(7) the Drug Enforcement Administration; or
(8) a division of a federal agency the primary duties of which are the investigation, apprehension, or detention of individuals suspected or convicted of federal crimes.
Impersonating police officer prohibited
(b) A person may not, with fraudulent design on person or property, falsely represent that the person is a police officer, special police officer, sheriff, deputy sheriff, or constable.
Wearing police articles prohibited
(c) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, a person may not have, use, wear, or display a uniform, shield, button, ornament, badge, identification, or shoulder patch adopted by the Department of State Police to be worn by its members, insignia, or emblem of office, as is worn by a police officer, sheriff, deputy sheriff, or constable.
Imitations of police articles prohibited
(d) A person may not, for the purpose of deception, have a simulation or imitation of an article described in subsection (c) of this section as is worn by a police officer, sheriff, deputy sheriff, or constable.
Authority to wear police articles
(e) A person may have, use, wear, or display an article described in subsection (c) of this section with the appropriate authority of:
(1) the Secretary of State Police;
(2) a police force of another state;
(3) the Police Commissioner of Baltimore City;
(4) the chief of police of a county or municipal corporation of this State or another state;
(5) a sheriff or deputy sheriff;
(6) a constable;
(7) the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division;
(8) the United States Park Police;
(9) the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Metro Transit Police;
(10) the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
(11) the Drug Enforcement Administration; or
(12) a division of a federal agency the primary duties of which are the investigation, apprehension, or detention of individuals suspected or convicted of federal crimes.
Penalty
(f) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 2 years or a fine not exceeding $2,000 or both.

Credits

Added by Acts 2003, c. 5, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2003. Amended by Acts 2004, c. 167, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2004; Acts 2012, c. 280, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2012; Acts 2012, c. 281, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2012.
MD Code, Public Safety, § 3-502, MD PUBLIC SAFETY § 3-502
Current through legislation effective through April 9, 2023, from the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
End of Document