Is this impersonating a cop or not? or what would you do?

Just a question, true story, didnt get in any trouble.

I stop at a gas station to buy some beer. I go in and a guy is just reaming the hell out of the poor little girl working behind the counter. He is yelling at her

I walk back to the beer cooler and grab my beverage of choice and proceed to the front of the store. He is still yelling at her.

I set my 6 pack down on the counter and look at the guy straight in the eye and say "United States Marshall what seems to be the problem"

He left right now. The little girl was so thankful...

I don't think I impersonated a cop, if I did, so what.

maybe just want opinions on the marshall part? Did I break the law?

it worked, so who cares?

reply to post by tinner07

I don't know the exact state of the law, but I offer the guess that "impersonating" means wearing a uniform and/or flashing fake I.D.

You live in the United States, and your "play" name is Marshall. What's the problem?

I wouldn't get in the habit of doing that though…

DISRAELI
reply to post by tinner07

 

I don't know the exact state of the law, but I offer the guess that "impersonating" means wearing a uniform and/or flashing fake I.D.

Explicitly telling someone you are an officer when you are not, to coerce or modify someone's behaviour would also fit into the description methinks.

reply to post by tinner07


I think if push came to shove and someone wanted to press the issue YOU did identify yourself as a federal officer verbally.

To me that's impersonating an officer.


18 U.S. Code § 912 - Officer or employee of the United States

"Whoever falsely assumes or pretends to be an officer or employee acting under the authority of the United States or any department, agency or officer thereof, and acts as such, or in such pretended character demands or obtains any money, paper, document, or thing of value, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both."

reply to post by boncho


No havent done it since that day. Wasnt thinking to do it, just came natural.

tinner07
reply to post by boncho

 

No havent done it since that day. Wasnt thinking to do it, just came natural.

Well, your intent was admirable, as you saw someone in distress and helped out. But perhaps it might be better to pull out the cell-phone, look at the gent, speaking to the cashier and say "Is this person threatening you because I can call the police".

You are well within the law to ask a question like that, and infer the same consequences.

While I think it's relatively harmless in this case, it's not a good habit to get into.

reply to post by boncho


I understand what you say but I tell you what...U.S. Marshall fixed it quick lol...

reply to post by tinner07


Technically, yes, thats what you did. However, given the circumstance I highly doubt anyone would wish to prosecute you for it. They do however, tend to get really cheesed off when you impersonate law enforcement when in the process of enacting some criminal plot, and understandably so.

However, bear in mind that you were not just impersonating a law enforcement official, you were impersonating a federal law enforcement official, if I remember correctly.

I would not get into the habit of doing as you did. Nothing wrong with stepping in, but next time, just take your six pack, and give the rotter a smack in the back of the skull with it. Yes, its possible that jail time might result, but I think you might get less time for a simple assault than impersonating a federal official.

reply to post by tinner07


By publicly identifying yoursef as a US MARSHALL, you were breaking the law. But I agree with the other poster here "Who cares?" It worked right?

BUT? What if that person yelling pulled out a gun at you thinking well...he said he was a Marshall and they are armed so...?

Unless you yourself were legally armed/carrying...it could have turned out very badly for you and the clerk. Think about it.

But...GOOD for you! Thats one for the good guys!!

Stop right there...

Internet Police...👮

reply to post by tinner07


I don't know.

Based on what you said if a cop tried to arrest you for it you could have stated that you thought the man was a U.S. Marshall and you were simply asking him what his problem was.

"U.S. Marshall, what seems to be the problem?"

You didn't state YOU were a U.S. Marshall.

So what you did didn't break the law.

This is why legal contracts are so long and complicated. When writing them you have to make sure that what is written cannot be twisted or picked apart in any way.

OP, I applaud your quick thinking; it could have gone many ways (including the harasser could have had a gun or been a cop himself) but it ended well.

So about this:

18 U.S. Code § 912 - Officer or employee of the United States

"Whoever falsely assumes or pretends to be an officer or employee acting under the authority of the United States or any department, agency or officer thereof, and acts as such, or in such pretended character demands or obtains any money, paper, document, or thing of value, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both."

What's the statute of limitations on this particular charge, cuz:

Romney impersonates a police officer

When Mitt Romney was a college freshman, he told fellow residents of his Stanford University dormitory that he sometimes disguised himself as a police officer – a crime in many states, including Michigan and California, where he then lived. And he had the uniform on display as proof.

So recalls Robin Madden, who had also just arrived as a freshman, the startling incident began when Romney called him and two or three other residents into his room, saying, “Come up, I want to show you something.” When they entered Romney’s room, “and laid out on his bed was a Michigan State Trooper’s uniform.” [...]

Said Madden in a recent interview, “He told us that he had gotten the uniform from his father,” George Romney, then the Governor of Michigan, whose security detail was staffed by uniformed troopers. “He told us that he was using it to pull over drivers on the road. He also had a red flashing light that he would attach to the top of his white Rambler.”

In Madden’s recollection, confirmed by his wife Susan, who also attended Stanford during those years, “we thought it was all pretty weird. We all thought, ‘Wow, that’s pretty creepy.’

How do people this suspect as to their attitudes towards their fellow humans (and with this bad a sense of humor) get nominated to the Presidency?

So don't feel bad, OP. You, too, may be nominated for the Presidency based on the current requirements. And, you were impersonating an officer for a GOOD reason...

reply to post by tinner07


If anything comes of it. Just ensure you clarify that you meant, "United States Marshall, what seems to be the problem?" Maybe you thought he was the Marshall..

Good luck.

What I would've done....

Shown him my spyderco endura and asked if bullying girls is his fetish.

Good job either way OP

No doubt you broke Federal law however a bend is really all I see. The Calcutta express has bought all the convenience stores here. Those Indians all look the same to me, a cross between nerd and a Jersey mobster.

I don't trust them nobody does. They learn fast as they know how to pucker up to the patrol officers and beat cops. Some dude in front of me bought a big beer and a slimjim and the mobster looking Indian said '$5.19 sir' They learned greed rather fast as well.