(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 R.C. § 3735.31(D); a member of a police force employed by a regional transit authority under R.C. § 306.35(Y); a state university law enforcement officer appointed under R.C. § 3345.04; a veterans’ home police officer appointed under R.C. § 5907.02; a special police officer employed by a port authority under R.C. § 4582.04 or 4582.28; an officer, agent, or employee of the state or any of its agencies, instrumentalities, or political subdivisions, upon whom, by statute, a duty to conserve the peace or to enforce all or certain laws is imposed and the authority to arrest violators is conferred, within limits of that statutory duty and authority; or a state highway patrol trooper 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 POLICE OFFICER means any security guard, special police officer, 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 of 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.
(4) FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. An employee of the United States who serves in a position the duties of which are primarily the investigation, apprehension, or detention of individuals suspected or convicted of offenses under the criminal laws of the United States.
(5) INVESTIGATOR OF THE BUREAU OF CRIMINAL IDENTIFICATION AND INVESTIGATION. Has the same meaning as in R.C. § 2903.11.
(B) No person shall impersonate a peace officer, a private police officer, investigator of the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, or federal law enforcement officer.
(C) No person, by impersonating a peace officer, a private police officer, investigator of the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, or federal law enforcement officer, 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, private police officer, federal law enforcement officer, an officer, agent or employee of the state or the municipality, or investigator of the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.
(E) It is an affirmative defense to a charge under division (B) above that the impersonation of the peace officer, private police officer, federal law enforcement officer, an officer, agent or employee of the municipality or of the state, or investigator of the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation was for a lawful purpose.
(F) Whoever violates division (B) above is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Whoever violates divisions (C) or (D) above is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, provided that the purpose of a violation of division (D) above is not to commit or facilitate the commission of a felony.
(R.C. § 2921.51) ('80 Code, § 525.03) Penalty, see § 130.99