Posted: 5/24/2007 4:30:25 AM EDT
| Would a car marked as a "Police Interceptor" but belonging to a private individual be considered impersonating a police officer? |
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I am assuming that you are referring to the small emblem on the back of the Crown Vics labeling them as having the "Police Interceptor" package? As far as FL goes, I don't see that as a problem. The statute you're referring to is "Falsely Personating Officer" -- 843.08 It refers to a person who "falsely assumes or pretends to be" an officer AND who "takes it upon himself or herself to act as such." So while it really doesn't define HOW one would "assume or pretend to be" an officer, I would assume that the little Ford-attached emblem would be a stretch. At any rate, you would have to follow that up with some kind of action for it to be criminal. For instance, simply owning the car (assuming that it's otherwise unmarked) is okay. However, if you started giving your neighbor grief about speeding down the street and then pointed to the "Police Interceptor" emblem on the back of your surplus purchase Crown Vic as if to make them think that you were a true LEO, that could be a problem. |
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No that would not count as impersonating an officer but doing things to make a person think that they are an officer would be illegal. We have a couple people in my town who like to pretend that they are police officers but they don't quite cross the line. One guy even puts antennas on his car. I'm not sure what some people get from pretending to be police officers. |
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No. A muffler shop buying a used police CVPI, repainting it in black and white, painting a snazzy badgelike logo on the doors, sticking a red light in the spotlight holder and "pulling people over" to hand them fliers to their business is impersonating. All that hard work to have you car impounded as "evidence" 
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| Thanks, I was just curious. I had seen this Black Crown Vic the other day speeding and weeving in and out of traffic. At a stop I noticed the emblem but the car had a CVS pharmacy employee driving it and did not look at all like a surplused vehicle. It looked as if she placed the emblem on with some double sided tape on the wrong side of her car. |
Wow. Just plain stupid. |