Criminal penalty increase for impersonating a peace officer

A bill for an act

relating to public safety; increasing criminal penalty for impersonating a peace

officer; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.4751.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609.4751, is amended to read:

609.4751 IMPERSONATING A PEACE OFFICER.

Subdivision 1.

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Misdemeanor
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Intent to mislead
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.

Whoever falsely impersonates a peace

officer with intent to mislead another into believing that the impersonator is actually an

officer is guilty of a
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misdemeanor
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felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not

more than two years or to payment of a fine of not more than $4,000, or both
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.

Subd. 2.

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Gross misdemeanor
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Buildings; vehicles; other crime
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.

Whoever violates

subdivision 1 while committing any
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other crime or any
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of the following acts is guilty of a
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gross misdemeanor
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felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than five

years or to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both
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:

(1) gaining access to a public building or government facility that is not open to the

public;

(2) without legal authority, directing or ordering another person to act or refrain from

acting;

(3) violating section
169.64, subdivision 2
, 3, or 4, or the siren provisions of section

169.68
; or

(4) operating a motor vehicle marked:

(i) with the word or words "police," "patrolman," "sheriff," "deputy," "trooper," "state

patrol," "conservation officer," "agent," or "marshal"; or

(ii) with any lettering, marking, or insignia, or colorable imitation thereof, including,

but not limited to, stars, badges, or shields identifying the vehicle as a law enforcement

vehicle, and which a reasonable person would believe is a law enforcement vehicle governed

under section
169.98, subdivision 1
.

Subd. 3.

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Felony
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Previous violation
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.

Whoever violates this section within five years of

a previous violation of this section is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment

for not more than
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two
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ten
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years or to payment of a fine of not more than
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$4,000
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$20,000
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,

or both.