Police impersonation is the act of falsely portraying oneself as a police officer for purposes of deception, exploiting the authority a uniform or badge implies. In the United Kingdom it is criminalized under section 90 of the Police Act 1996 when done with intent to deceive, and in Ireland under sections 60 and 61 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, carrying penalties up to five years imprisonment and fines as high as 50,000 euros. A 2012 study in the American Journal of Criminal Justice examining 56 incidents found that most offenders acted alone, caused no physical injury to victims, and often fled once a victim tried to verify their identity by calling emergency services, and grouped impersonators into police enthusiasts, compulsive deviants, and criminals using the disguise to commit theft or home invasion. The perpetrator of the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting posed as a police officer driving a replica cruiser, one of the offense's most severe documented consequences.
Facts
Classification CodeUnited Kingdom: Police Act 1996 section 90 1 Typical PenaltyIreland: on conviction on indictment, a fine of up to 50,000 euros, or imprisonment for up to five years, or both 1 Elements of OffenseIn Ireland, possessing or wearing any article of Garda uniform, or possessing or using any article, equipment or vehicle with Garda markings that could deceive; in the United Kingdom, impersonation with intent to deceive 1 Notable ExampleApril 2020 Nova Scotia spree shooting, in which the perpetrator, who killed 22 people, posed as a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer 1 Jurisdiction VariationThe United Kingdom criminalises impersonation with intent to deceive under the Police Act 1996, while Ireland separately makes it an offence to impersonate a member of the Garda Síochána under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 1 Classification
Offense GradeMinor or Summary Offense 1 Connections
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Sources
1. Police impersonation (Wikipedia)
Criminal laws, United Kingdom, section 90
is criminalised by Section 90 of the Police Act 1996
Criminal laws, Ireland, section 61
It is also an offence under Section 61 to possess and/or wear any article of Garda uniform, or possess or use any article, equipment or vehicle with Garda markings that could deceive.
Criminal laws, Ireland, punishment
Punishment for both offences, upon conviction on indictment, is a fine of up to €50,000, or imprisonment for up to five years, or both.
Nova Scotia shooting paragraph
During a two-day spree shooting in Nova Scotia in April 2020, the perpetrator, who killed 22 people, posed as a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer.
Criminal laws, Ireland, section 60
Under Section 60 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, it is an offence to impersonate a member of the Garda Síochána.
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