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For Immediate Release
4/23/07
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Senate Approves Pippy Bill Cracking Down on Fake Police Officers, Veterans

Tougher penalties for fake officers who often target women.

Harrisburg – The state Senate has approved legislation sponsored by Sen. John Pippy (R-37) that would impose tougher penalties on those convicted of impersonating a police officer or military veteran. 

Current law makes impersonating a police officer a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison. Senate Bill 183, approved by Senate on Wednesday, makes it a third-degree felony with a penalty of up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.  

"Considering the motivation behind impersonating a law enforcement officer, such as making fake traffic stops to exploit the driver – especially women – as well as other kinds of attacks, I believe it is important to have a tougher penalty for this crime," said Pippy. "Police impersonators are not only a threat to public safety; they undermine the confidence the public rightfully has in legitimate officers. It's a serious crime and deserves serious consequences." 

Pippy said the measure also makes it a third-degree misdemeanor for a person to impersonate an active member of the armed forces or a military veteran.  

An incident Wednesday in York, Pa., where police said a man impersonated an officer and tried to arrest a woman, is the most recent of reported incidents involving police impersonators across Pennsylvania.  

In a case outside of Philadelphia in 2005, police arrested a man driving a vehicle that looked like an uncover police car. They found numerous fake police badges in his possession, from several states.

Senate Bill 183 was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.