Colorado Revised Statute 18-8-112 defines the offense of impersonating a peace officer. You can be charged for committing this offense if you pretend to be a police officer and perform an act in that role. Impersonating a peace officer is a class 6 felony.


Until the early 2000s impersonating a peace officer was a misdemeanor. However, in 2003 a student at the University of Northern Colorado named Lacy Miller was abducted and ultimately murdered by a man pretending to be a police officer who had used flashing red and blue lights to initiate the traffic stop. In 2004 Governor Bill Owens signed a law increasing the offense level for impersonating a police officer to a class 6 felony.

A person can be charged with impersonating a peace officer if law enforcement has probable cause to believe the person has:

  1. Falsely pretended to be a peace officer; and
  2. Performed an act in that assumed capacity.


As a class 6 felony, you can be sentenced to up to 18 months in prison in addition to fines if convicted of impersonating a peace officer.
If you have been charged with impersonating a peace an experienced Denver criminal defense lawyer is essential. Get in touch with experienced Boulder impersonating a peace officer defense attorney Jason Savela by calling (720) 821-1001.