525.03 IMPERSONATION OF PEACE OFFICER.

   (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 Ohio R.C. 3735.31(D); a member of a police force employed by a regional transit authority under Ohio R.C. 306.35(Y), a State university law enforcement officer appointed under Ohio R.C. 3345.04; a veterans' home police officer appointed under Ohio R.C. 5907.02; a special police officer employed by a port authority under Ohio 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)   “Federal law enforcement officer” means 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.

      (4)   “Investigator of the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation” has the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 2903.11.

      (5)   "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.

   (b)   No person shall impersonate a peace officer, private police officer, federal law enforcement officer or investigator of the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.

   (c)   No person, by impersonating a peace officer, private police officer, federal law enforcement officer, or investigator of the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, 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 police officer, a federal law enforcement officer or investigator of the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation or an officer, agent or employee of the State or the Municipality.

   (e)   It is an affirmative defense to a charge under subsection (b) hereof that the impersonation of the peace officer was for a lawful purpose.

   (f)   Whoever violates subsection (b) hereof is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Whoever violates subsections (c) or (d) hereof is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the purpose of a violation of subsection (d) hereof is to commit or facilitate the commission of a felony, such violation is a felony and shall be prosecuted under appropriate State law.
(ORC 2921.51)