Ohio Revised Code|Section 2921.51 | Impersonation of peace officer or private police 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 division (D) of  section 3735.31 of the Revised Code; a member of a police force  employed by a regional transit authority under division (Y) of  section 306.35 of the Revised Code; a state university law enforcement officer appointed under section 3345.04 of the Revised Code; a veterans' home police officer appointed under section  5907.02 of the Revised Code; a special police officer employed by  a port authority under section 4582.04 or 4582.28 of the Revised  Code; 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) "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.
(5) "Investigator of the bureau of criminal identification  and investigation" has the same meaning as in section 2903.11 of  the Revised Code.
(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,  private police officer, federal law enforcement officer,  officer,  agent, or employee of the state,  or investigator of the  bureau  of criminal identification and  investigation.
(E) No person shall commit a felony while impersonating a peace officer, private police officer, federal law enforcement  officer, officer, agent, or employee  of the state, or  investigator of the bureau of criminal  identification and  investigation.
(F) It is an affirmative defense to a charge under division (B) of this section that the impersonation of the peace officer,  private police officer, or investigator of the bureau of criminal  identification and investigation was for a lawful purpose.
(G) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Whoever violates division (C) or (D) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the purpose of a violation of division (D) of this section is to commit or facilitate the commission of a felony, a violation of division (D) is a felony of the fourth degree. Whoever violates division (E) of this section is guilty of a felony of the third degree.