(a) As used in this section:
(1) “Peace officer” means a sheriff, deputy sheriff, marshal, deputy marshal, member of the organized police department of a municipal corporation or township constable who is employed by a political subdivision of this State, a member of a police force employed by a metropolitan housing authority under RC 3735.31, a member of a police force employed by a regional transit authority under RC 306.35, a State university law enforcement officer appointed under RC 3345.04, an Ohio veterans’ home policeman appointed under RC 5907.02, a special police officer employed by a port authority under RC 4528.04 or 4582.28, or a State highway patrol trooper and whose primary duties are to preserve the peace, to protect life and property and to enforce the laws, ordinances or rules of the State or any of its political subdivisions.
(2) “Private policeman” means any security guard, special policeman, private detective or other person who is privately employed in a police capacity.
(3) “Impersonate” means to act the part of, assume the identity of, wear the uniform or any part of the uniform of or display the identification of a particular person or a member of a class of persons with purpose to make another person believe that the actor is that particular person or is a member of that class of persons.
(b) No person shall impersonate a peace officer or a private policeman.
(c) No person, by impersonating a peace officer or a private policeman, shall arrest or detain any person, search any person or search the property of any person.
(d) No person, with purpose to commit or facilitate the commission of an offense, shall impersonate a peace officer, a private policeman or an officer, agent or employee of the State or the Municipality.
(e) It is an affirmative defense to a charge under division (b) of this section that the impersonation of the peace officer was for a lawful purpose.
(f) Whoever violates division (b) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Whoever violates divisions(c) or (d) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, provided that the purpose of a violation of division (d) of this section is not to commit or facilitate the commission of a felony.
(RC 2921.51; Ord. No. 1631-05. Passed 3-20-06, eff. 3-24-06)