Impersonating a Peace Officer is charged in Fort Collins and Larimer County when a person is accused of falsely presenting as a legitimate police officer and performing an act that only a police officer can do. I don’t know if it’s karma or what, but it seems odd that so many Impersonating a Peace Officer charges result in a fake cop pulling over an off-duty officer. A teen was recently charged with this crime for that very reason. According to the report, the teen put flashing red and blue lights on his car and lit them up in an attempt to pull another car over for a traffic stop. The car he chose to pull over was being driven by an off-duty cop. The real officer sensed something was off and drove away, calling in the possible impersonation. The off-duty cop then followed the teen and attempted to confront him when he finally stopped and got out of the car. She requested legitimate identification from the teen and when he went to get it out of the car, he actually just drove off. The real officer lost track of him, but he was later located in the middle of changing the license plates on his car. He tried to run, but after a short chase on foot, he was caught and arrested.
Larimer County Impersonating a Peace Officer Lawyer: Definition of Impersonating a Police Officer in Colorado
The Larimer County, Colorado law definition of Impersonating a Peace Officer – C.R.S. 18-8-112 – is:
Simply putting red and blie flashing lights on a car would not be enough to charge this crime. The person must also do something that only an officer can legally do. So, attempting to pull someone over would meet these criteria. As would attempting to arrest someone. These are acts that only someone with a legitimate badge can do – like the off-duty cop who recognized the faker.
Sentence for Impersonating a Peace Officer to an Off-Duty Officer in Loveland and Estes Park
In Fort Collins, Loveland and Estes Park, Impersonating a Peace Office is a class 6 felony. This level felony is punishable by 12 to 18 months in the Colorado Department of Corrections. The teen above would also likely be facing the felony Vehicular Eluding charge for driving away from the off-duty officer questioning him.
If you or someone you love has been charged with Impersonating a Peace Officer, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent and contact the best criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-658-0007 to schedule a free initial consultation. Together, we can protect your future.
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