Section 3-502 - Impersonating police officer; other prohibited acts; penalty. - Maryland Statutes

§ 3-502. Impersonating police officer; other prohibited acts; penalty.
 

(a)  "Police officer" defined.- 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation; 

(6) the Drug Enforcement Administration; or 

(7) 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. 

(b)  Impersonating police officer prohibited.- 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. 

(c)  Wearing police articles prohibited.- 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. 

(d)  Imitations of police articles prohibited.- 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. 

(e)  Authority to wear police articles.- 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation; 

(10) the Drug Enforcement Administration; or 

(11) 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. 

(f)  Penalty.- 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. 
 

[An. Code 1957, art. 27, § 440; 2003, ch. 5, § 2; 2004, ch. 167.]