Proposal would limit how officers hide identities and agents act

An officer who conceals identifying details in the ways described would face a misdemeanor or felony. The text covers federal, state, and local full-time salaried or certified part-time salaried officers whose legal duty is to maintain public peace. The misdemeanor applies if the concealment causes someone reasonably to believe the officer is acting without lawful authority. The felony applies if the officer intends to deceive or intimidate someone or the public, or to interfere with making a public record.

The text describes impersonating a peace officer as a crime. The definition of peace officer covers federal, state, and local full-time salaried or certified part-time salaried officers whose legal duty is to maintain public peace. A person commits the crime by acting or trying to act as an officer without authority, or pretending to be one to deceive someone. The text sets a misdemeanor, with a fourth-degree felony for a second or later conviction.

A person authorized to apprehend someone who misses a bail appearance would face limits on claiming government status and helping with immigration enforcement. These rules cover people other than certified peace officers who are authorized to apprehend someone who fails to appear at the time and place set by that person’s bail bond. The person could not present as a sworn officer or use government-like uniforms, badges, or names. They could wear clothing clearly marked “Bail Bond Recovery Agent,” “Bail Enforcement,” or “Bail Enforcement Agent.” The person could not use the role for immigration enforcement or provide the fugitive’s identifying information for that purpose without a valid judicial warrant or court order. These limits would not restrict government entities or officials from exchanging immigration-status information with federal immigration authorities or other governments.