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submitted 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) by LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world to c/nostupidquestions@lemmy.ca
  1. Retired sheriff who still wears his Sheriff embroidered knit cap all winter everywhere he goes;

  2. a former Sheriff who was fired, still has his knit cap and wears it around everywhere he goes;

  3. someone who was never a sheriff and never in law enforcement in any capacity whatsoever who found a sheriff knit cap and wears it around everywhere he goes

Which of those three scenarios might qualify as "Impersonating a Police Officer?" Any or all of the above?

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[-] jet@hackertalks.com 6 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

In none of your scenarios would a reasonable person believe their interacting with an active member of the sheriff department.

[-] LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world 0 points 11 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

okay but I'll go a little deeper into this scenario. This happened to me yesterday, there's this creepy old man who loiters outside the 24-hour gym all hours of the night lurking in the shadows outside and then he comes in and talks to me while I'm running on the treadmill and he makes a display of making sure I notice he has this hat on with an official sheriff's logo of some County with the word sheriff on it and he peels the cap off his head as he's talking to me. seems like impersonation to me. Because subconsciously I really thought he was law enforcement but in retrospect no he's not law enforcement. He's a creepy old man.

he gives me the creeps and he bothers me while I'm working out at the gym. And he tells me about the vehicle I drive and my license plate, I just want to exercise in peace and not be harassed by creepy old men impersonating a police officer in the middle of the night.

[-] SkyNTP@lemmy.ca 5 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Just ask if they are law enforcement. If they say no or say nothing, then assume they are just some creepy citizen and stay away. If they say yes but can't produce a badge, they have instantly committed impersonation.

Law enforcement has to identify itself in an official capacity if you are being detained or questioned. This should be obvious. Policing powers are only given to police officers, so it behooves the police to be very clear that they are the police.

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this post was submitted on 14 Dec 2023
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