Fake Cop Pulls Over Real Cop…Whoops! | Impersonating a Police Officer

Learn more about Impersonating a Police Officer charges across Colorado.

When pretending to be a police officer, it’s probably not your best move to pull over real police officer, but that’s exactly what happened to a man recently. At 1 a.m. the alleged fake police officer began following another car and turned on the attached spotlight, pointing it directly into the car he was pursuing, which was being driven by an off-duty police officer. The real officer, who believed he was being pulled over, pulled his car to the side of the road. When the false cop approached the car, he identified himself as a police officer. However, when the real police officer identified himself, the fake cop ran back to his car and sped off. The car the police impersonator was driving was found abandoned a few miles away and police were able to identify the suspect after running a license plate check. After being identified, the imposter turned himself in and was charged with Impersonating a Police Officer.

What is Impersonating a Police / Peace Officer in Greeley?

Colorado law defines C.R.S. 18-8-112 – Impersonating a Peace Officer – as:

A person who falsely pretends to be a peace officer and performs an act in that pretended capacity commits impersonating a peace officer.

This crime has two required elements. First, a person must pretend to be a peace / police officer. The man above met the requirement when he identified himself as an officer. The person does not have to be dressed in a police uniform or in a marked car to meet the pretending component. Simply claiming to be an officer is enough. Secondly, a person must perform an act only an actual officer would be authorized to perform. In this case, by pulling the real police officer over, an act only a real police officer is allowed to do, he meets this requirement.

In Greeley, Johnstown, and Windsor, Impersonation of a Police Officer is a class 6 felony. It is important for the public to be able to trust law enforcement and the deception involved with this crime threatens that trust relationship. This is why the law has deemed Police Impersonation a felony.

It is important for the public to be able to trust law enforcement and the deception involved with this crime threatens that trust relationship.

You need to hire an attorney who knows how to work for the best possible outcome for you. The attorneys at the O’Malley Law Office, P.C., have the experience you need. So, if you have been contacted about an impersonation allegation, or been charged with Impersonating a Peace Officer in Weld, Morgan, or Logan County, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent and call us right away at 970-616-6009. Together, we can protect your future.

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