Bill > H471

This bill aims to increase penalties for impersonating police officers by amending existing laws and adding new provisions. Specifically, it removes references to "police officer" in certain sections of Chapter 268 of the General Laws, likely to broaden the scope of the new penalties. The core of the bill introduces a new section that establishes different levels of punishment for falsely pretending to be a police officer: a basic offense carries up to 5 years in state prison or a fine and jail time, while possessing a uniform or badge while impersonating an officer escalates the penalty to up to 10 years in state prison or a significant fine. The most severe penalty, up to 25 years in state prison, is reserved for those who impersonate an officer while wearing a uniform or possessing a badge and commit a felony. Additionally, the bill mandates that anyone selling police uniforms or badges must verify the purchaser's photo identification and contact the relevant police department for confirmation, adding a layer of regulation to prevent the unauthorized distribution of such items.