Is it illegal to impersonate a retired police officer?

[sixlostmonkeys]

Just that really :)

what is to be gained from that? (speaking as a retired police officer)

To do what? It's probably not illegal to go to a party and pretend to strangers that you were once a police officer rather than working in a library. Well, it might be but no one would give a shit. It's probably illegal to pretend to be one for some form of gain.

Thats what I was thinking nelly but I'm struggling to see what someone could possibly gain by pretending to be a retired police officer

This has been bugging me and, as I work in this field, I've just had to look it up!

Under the Police Act 1996 s.90(1):

Any person who with intent to deceive impersonates a member of a police force or special constable, or makes any statement or does any act calculated falsely to suggest that he is such a member or constable, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or to both.

S.2 makes it illegal to wear a uniform to pretend to be an officer too.

But not retired officers! So knock yourself out, sixlostmonkeys, though I can't for the life of me imagine what pretending to be a retired officer would achieve

If they gained something from this pretence, could it be fraud? Not sure though.

Hi all - thanks for the replies.

I've just been to the police station and asked. It is definitely illegal to impersonate a retired police officer.

hehe it's not me wants to impersonate! I am victim of harassment from someone who now claims (on official court papers no less) to be a retired police officer.
They want money from me - so yes, this is fraud.

Blimey! Still amazed that this person is claiming to be a retired police officer, what a bizarre thing, of all the jobs they could claim why that? What an idiot to lie on court papers. Hope this all works out for you.

Yes but in what way are they gaining any advantage by claiming to be a retired police officer? Loon!

honestly - you do not want to know any more details. I am dealing with the most bizarre woman!

she created a man to send intimidating emails telling me to send money to the woman. then the pretend man claims on court papers that he is retired police officer blah blah

see! you don't want to know

In all seriousness though - this is taking up a lot of my time and is really getting me down

I'm not surprised - although she's presumably ill. Can't you explain to the Court what has happened?

I shall be explaining all in my defense - but this will go on for months!

There are more serious indications of fraud contained within her madness so I now need to see the police (the real police not pretend ones!) to try and sort out the fraud

Is this in Surrey, by any chance?

No not Surrey - don't say there is another nutter on the loose!

curious now....... the woman's surname begins with P - does the Surrey one?

ooh, is there another loon in Surrey?

How do you know for a fact he isn't?

Well it would be attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Thankfully it's all documented.

I can assure you it isn't an office to impersonate a retired police officer per se.
The only offence is that mentioned above which is for a serving police officer.

However it appears there are other offences being committed ie fraud or maybe harassment.
Have you reported this to the police as a criminal offence rather than a "defense"?

Hi justasmallgless - yes, the police will be dealing with the criminal side of this.

I still need to submit my defense to the court though which hopefully will not have to include all the stuff about the harassment and threats etc - just a simple defense of the matter in hand.

It was the police that told me it is an offense to impersonate a retired police officer

Its a difficult one. Dad is a retired officer and says its not an offence. How what happening here is fraud. sp the man may be charged with attempted fraud. But can not be charged with impersonating a retired officer. There is not such offence. The offence is impersonating an officer.

As a serving police officer I would have to argue that one!! As nefertarii says and I mentioned before, there is no specific offence for impersonating a retired police officer. However there are fraud offences which appear to have been committed. Maybe the officers you spoke to weren't very clear?

If you have to submit a defense for something I take it you are also going through civil proceedings? Have you got your own solicitor for this?

I believe you both - though I won't be correcting the policeman who told me (because he was big and scary!)

They can't charge him anyway because he doesn't exist. He put his signature to the papers though.
Ask your dad if if someone who doesn't exist can be charged with putting his signature to official papers, harassment/threats and intimidation.
No, seriously don't (he'll think you have lost the plot)

Justasmallgless - the officer I spoke to, when I said "is it an offense to impersonate a retired police officer?" replied swiftly "It most certainly is!"

BUt, like i said, I believe you.

I am submitting a defense for a county court claim - I have had to approach the police though because the person involved is seriously up to no good (and I want it all ending now....it's having too much impact on my life)