A Hialeah man has been charged with impersonating a police officer.
In the State of Florida, the crime of impersonating a police officer is a third-degree felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison.
Hialeah Police arrested the accused at his home in Hialeah after reports indicated that the accused had been portraying himself as a police officer. He even, according to police reports, had a badge in his possession.
Police take this crime seriously because they believe that impersonating a police officer can lead to other crimes, such as robberies and burglaries, as people are naturally trusting of somebody purporting to be a police officer and may be vulnerable in their presence by letting them into their homes.
Eric Matheny is a criminal defense attorney representing clients in Miami-Dade and Broward.