Jun. 18, 2015
HARRISBURG – The state House on Wednesday unanimously passed legislation introduced by Rep. Doyle Heffley (R-Carbon) that would increase penalties for impersonating a law enforcement officer and outline the illegal use of sirens and lights by a person not authorized to do so.
“I reintroduced this legislation, which the House unanimously passed last session, in response to a number of disturbing reports of motorists being pulled over and harassed by people impersonating law enforcement officers,” Heffley said. “Those who impersonate law enforcement officers abuse the public’s trust, and they often do so in order to commit more serious crimes. This legislation significantly increases the penalties for those convicted of impersonating a law enforcement officer so that the punishment more accurately reflects the severity of the crime.”
In July of last year, a man who was impersonating an officer pulled a woman over as she was traveling toward Palmerton on Route 248 and threatened her with a weapon. Last September, a 29-year-old Stockertown man impersonating a law enforcement officer searched a stranded motorist and his passenger as they were awaiting a tow and stole money from their wallets. And earlier this month, a Somerset man was arrested for setting up a drunken driving checkpoint while impersonating an officer.
House Bill 235 holds that if a person pretends to be a law enforcement officer, the grading of the offense is raised to a third-degree felony, which carries a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment and a $15,000 fine. Under current law, impersonating an officer is a second-degree misdemeanor and carries a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine.
Under the legislation, a person who sells a vehicle with visual or audible warning systems to a person who is not authorized to possess such systems would commit a summary offense and, upon conviction, would be sentenced to pay a fine of $500 to $1,000.
The legislation makes exceptions for antique vehicles and vehicles which are transported by the manufacturer or dealer for purposes of selling the vehicle.
The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
Representative Doyle Heffley
122nd District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jonathan Anzur
717.260-6610
janzur@pahousegop.com
RepHeffley.com /
Facebook.com/RepHeffley