It Helps to be an Ex-Cop

[Princess-Snake]

My friend's dad works for an insurance company. Before that, he worked as a cop. He even still has his badge. One day, my friend and I are in the car with her dad getting something to eat. We pull up at Outback and we see a car park in front of a sign that clearly states in BIG letters, "No Parking" My friend's dad rolls down the window and motions for the driver to do the same. He did and asks what does he want. My friend's dad goes, "You can't park there. It's illegal." The guy gets all mad saying he doesn't care and that he'll park wherever he wants. Then her dad pulls out his old police badge, shows it to the guy, and says, "You want to park there now?" He pulled out of there so fast, it's a wonder he didn't burn his tires out.

[IT Grunt]

I think flashing his badge like that might be illegal too, but damn, that's too funny. Should make that guy think twice next time.

[LostMyMind]

Depends. Since, he didn't say he is a police officer. All he did was show his legit badge. Because his badge is legit, it will be hard to claim what he did was illegal. Through a very fine line he walked.

[Becks]

It makes for a funny story, though.

[tollbaby]

Actually, it is a crime to represent oneself as a police officer, even if it's a legit badge. I mean, it's a great story, but if someone were to make a complaint, your friend's dad could find himself fined or up on charges. (Retired policemen also are NOT permitted to keep their badges without some kind of modification to show that he's no longer a policeman - Generally they stamp the police ID cards with "retired" or "expired" to prevent confusion... I can't remember what they do to the badges... I'll have to ask my Waukegan cop friend).

[powerboy]

I cannot see how he could get into trouble. Since all he did was told the guy that he cannot park there. It is not like, he made the guy get out of his car and search him.

[Rapscallion]

As far as I understand it, he could be in legal trouble for this. However, it still had me grinning

Rapscallion

[ReadyToRetire]

Depends. Since, he didn't say he is a police officer. All he did was show his legit badge. Because his badge is legit, it will be hard to claim what he did was illegal. Through a very fine line he walked.

Well, since he is no longer a police officer, the badge is not legit.

Although, I've got to wonder...why is he carrying that badge around with him? Does he make it a habit to flash the badge in such instances?

[Princess-Snake]

Well, since he is no longer a police officer, the badge is not legit.

Although, I've got to wonder...why is he carrying that badge around with him? Does he make it a habit to flash the badge in such instances?

That, I have no idea. That was the first time I even saw the badge. So, I'm guessing no.

[tollbaby]

I cannot see how he could get into trouble. Since all he did was told the guy that he cannot park there. It is not like, he made the guy get out of his car and search him.

Powerboy, it is a felony to represent yourself as a police officer Doesn't matter what the reason for it is, or how serious or frivolous the situation is. It's still a crime (although I doubt they'd bust an ex-cop for something as petty as this).

[mrtauntaun]

Its a fine line. He didn't say he was a police officer, he just showed a badge he had from when he was a police officer. That's all.

However, he could still get in trouble. Like I said, a fine line. Due to the thickness of that line coupled with the fact he was a former police officer, im sure he'd just get a slap on the wrist. Kudos to him regardless!

[tollbaby]

Its a fine line. He didn't say he was a police officer, he just showed a badge he had from when he was a police officer. That's all.

However, he could still get in trouble. Like I said, a fine line. Due to the thickness of that line coupled with the fact he was a former police officer, im sure he'd just get a slap on the wrist. Kudos to him regardless!

Not to kick a dead horse (and I promise this will be my last post on the subject), there's no fine line. He clearly intended for the parking offender to infer that he was a police officer. He doesn't need to say the words for it to be criminal misrepresentation, he merely needs to make it understood that he's a police officer, and that's exactly what he did.

Small caveat: I do find this hilarious, and often wish I could write tickets to parking offenders. I'm simply trying to clear up a point of law

[Jetfire]

Were he to get in any trouble (very unlikely for something this trivial), he could probably argue that he showed the badge (assuming it has Expired or Retired or something stamped on it ) as proof that he has experience in traffic rules and can tell what is right and wrong, and not in a "I'm a cop and I can arrest you" manner.

In any case, good story.

[powerboy]

Powerboy, it is a felony to represent yourself as a police officer Doesn't matter what the reason for it is, or how serious or frivolous the situation is. It's still a crime (although I doubt they'd bust an ex-cop for something as petty as this).

I know that it is a crime, and that didn't even come into mind, as I was typing that.

[JustADude]

Were he to get in any trouble (very unlikely for something this trivial), he could probably argue that he showed the badge (assuming it has Expired or Retired or something stamped on it ) as proof that he has experience in traffic rules and can tell what is right and wrong, and not in a "I'm a cop and I can arrest you" manner.

Exactly what I was thinking. I'm pretty sure they'd have marked the badge to make it obvious he was Retired, so it's not like it could be construed to be a valid badge under any degree of examination. It wouldn't be any more a crime than me flashing a toy badge from a Kiddy-Cop play set, since it should be obvious to a reasonable person that neither one is real.

The fact that Jackass McMoron wasn't reasonable would have no bearing on the manner. IANAL, though.