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House tightens impersonation law to cover people hired as officers despite disqualifications
Summary
SB115 was approved to expand impersonating-a-police-officer penalties to cover individuals who knowingly work as officers after being decertified or otherwise unqualified; the bill passed the House 98-0.
The Alabama House passed SB115, which expands the existing impersonating-a-police-officer statute to include persons who are fraudulently employed as law-enforcement officers after being decertified or otherwise unqualified. Sponsors said the change targets isolated cases in which individuals who lack certification or have been decertified are nevertheless put on payroll and sworn as officers by small agencies.
Under the adopted language, a person who knowingly accepts employment as a sworn officer after being decertified or when disqualified would be guilty of impersonating an officer and could face the same penalties as other impersonation offenses. The bill also exposes employers who knowingly hire such persons to criminal liability. Supporters said the measure protects communities and preserves professional standards; they said it was designed to deter small agencies from ignoring background checks.
The House adopted the committee substitute and then passed SB115 by a vote of 94 ayes with 10 abstentions recorded in final tallies. Supporters noted the change fills an enforcement gap and protects residents from people falsely acting with police authority.
SB115 now goes to the governor for consideration.
