1256 LAWS OF MARYLAND [CH. 450

CHAPTER 450
(House Bill 774)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section
531A of Article 27 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1947
Supplement), title "Crimes and Punishments, " sub-title
"Personating Officers, " including the shoulder patch of the
Department of Maryland State Police among the insignia
or emblems of office which it is unlawful to use or imitate
without authority.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That Section 531A of Article 27 of the Annotated Code
of Maryland (1947 Supplement), title "Crimes and Punish-
ments, " sub-title "Personating Officers, " be and it is hereby
repealed and re-enacted, with amendments, to read as follows:

531A. It shall be unlawful for any person falsely to repre-
sent himself as being a member of the police force of the State,
of Baltimore City or of any county or municipal corporation of
the State, or to represent himself as a sheriff, deputy sheriff or
constable, with fraudulent design upon person or property, or
to have, use, wear or display, without the authority of the
Superintendent of State Police, the Commissioner of Police of
Baltimore City or the Chief of Police of any county or munici-
pal corporation, or of a sheriff, deputy sheriff or constable,
any uniform, shield, button, ornament, badge, shoulder patch
adopted by the Department of Maryland State Police to be
worn by the members of said Department, insignia or emblem
of office, such as are worn by the members of the respective
police forces or sheriff or constable, or to have any simulation
or imitation of such articles for the purpose of deception.
Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall
be subject to a fine of not more than One Hundred Dollars
($100. 00) or to imprisonment for not more than six months,
or to both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of
the Court.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take
effect June 1, 1951.

Approved April 13, 1951.

——————

EXPLANATION: Italics indicate new matter added to existing law.

[Brackets] indicate matter stricken from existing law.

CAPITALS indicate amendments to bill.

Strike out indicates matter stricken out of bill.