HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3435        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1541

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act relative to the impersonation of police officers..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 33 of chapter 268 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2004 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the words “police officer” in line 3.

Section 2. Section 35 of said chapter 268, as so appearing, is hereby striking out the words “of a police officer” in line 8.

Section 3. said chapter 268 is hereby further amended by adding the following section:

Section 41: Whoever falsely assumes or pretends to be a police officer shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 5 years or by a fine of not more than $1,000 and imprisonment in a jail for not more than 2 years.

 Whoever while falsely assuming or pretending to be a police officer wears a police uniform or has in his possession a badge or thing in the likeness of an official badge of a police officer shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 10 years or by a fine of not more than $10,000.

 Whoever while falsely assuming or pretending to be a police officer, and is wearing a police uniform or has in his possession a badge or thing in the likeness of an official badge of a police officer, commits a felony shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 25 years.

 Any person who sells police uniforms or badges shall require a photo identification from any purchaser and shall contact the appropriate police department for verification.