1572

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 546

AN ACT concerning

Crimes and Punishments - Impersonating Police Officers

FOR the purpose of making it a misdemeanor for a person to
impersonate a special policeman and adding a clarifying
word.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article 27 — Crimes and Punishments

Section 440

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1976 Replacement Volume and 1978 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
be repealed, amended, or enacted to read as follows:

Article 27 — Crimes and Punishments

440.

It shall be unlawful for any person falsely to
represent 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
SPECIAL POLICEMAN, 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 municipal corporation, or of a
sheriff, deputy sheriff or constable, any uniform, shield,
button, ornament, badge, IDENTIFICATION, 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.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act
shall take effect July 1, 1979.

Approved May 29, 1979.