History Main / ImpersonatingAnOfficer

* ''Series/ThatsSoRaven'': In "Five Finger Discount", Raven finds out that the kids Cory has been hanging out with are shoplifters who are pressuring him to shoplift as well. She becomes worried for his safety, so she follows him to the mall and disguises herself as a security guard to make sure he doesn't steal anything.

* This is TruthInTelevision, with [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impersonating_an_officer the legal offense]] subdivided into verbally claiming you're a cop, using a fake badge or warrant card, using a fake or stolen uniform, and using a fake or stolen police vehicle. The laws regarding this vary by jurisdiction: in Michigan, for example, it's only considered a felony if you're impersonating an officer while committing a different crime.

This is TruthInTelevision, so DoNotTryThisAtHome — intentionally attempting to impersonate a police officer is a serious crime in most jurisdictions. With a few exceptions (including ''Film/{{Zombi 2}}'', which had cameos from actual off-duty NYPD officers in full uniform), live-action films and television shows with police officers in them use uniforms that are deliberately incorrect to avoid any hint of this[[note]] It is, however, an [[PopCultureUrbanLegends urban legend]] that there are laws mandating this outside of duplication of badges -- the productions usually do it voluntarily out of concern that the items could be used illegally. In many of the Mark VII productions, such as ''Series/{{Dragnet}}'', the costumes are much more authentic, down to in a few rare cases being granted permission to use actual [=LAPD=] badges as opposed to subtly incorrect replicas, as [[BackedByThePentagon the shows had the full support of the Los Angeles Police Department]] thanks to Creator/JackWebb's relationship with the department stretching back to the radio version of ''Dragnet''.[[/note]]. Fancy dress police costumes are also deliberately different from genuine ones to reduce the chance of being mistaken for a genuine officer. In RealLife, police forces/departments exercise rigorous control over their uniforms — losing, giving away, or otherwise transferring any part of their uniform can lead to serious disciplinary measures being taken against officers and old and worn items are destroyed rather than risking the chance of them falling into the wrong hands. It's very usual for uniforms to be stored on police premises only and officers change into them on arrival for their shifts and at no time do they leave the building unless being worn on duty.

DoNotTryThisAtHome — intentionally attempting to impersonate a police officer is a serious crime in most jurisdictions. With a few exceptions (including ''Film/{{Zombi 2}}'', which had cameos from actual off-duty NYPD officers in full uniform), live-action films and television shows with police officers in them use uniforms that are deliberately incorrect to avoid any hint of this[[note]] It is, however, an [[PopCultureUrbanLegends urban legend]] that there are laws mandating this outside of duplication of badges -- the productions usually do it voluntarily out of concern that the items could be used illegally. In many of the Mark VII productions, such as ''Series/{{Dragnet}}'', the costumes are much more authentic, down to in a few rare cases being granted permission to use actual [=LAPD=] badges as opposed to subtly incorrect replicas, as [[BackedByThePentagon the shows had the full support of the Los Angeles Police Department]] thanks to Creator/JackWebb's relationship with the department stretching back to the radio version of ''Dragnet''.[[/note]]. Fancy dress police costumes are also deliberately different from genuine ones to reduce the chance of being mistaken for a genuine officer. In RealLife, police forces/departments exercise rigorous control over their uniforms — losing, giving away, or otherwise transferring any part of their uniform can lead to serious disciplinary measures being taken against officers and old and worn items are destroyed rather than risking the chance of them falling into the wrong hands. It's very usual for uniforms to be stored on police premises only and officers change into them on arrival for their shifts and at no time do they leave the building unless being worn on duty.

DoNotTryThisAtHome — intentionally attempting to impersonate a police officer is a serious crime in most jurisdictions. With a few exceptions (including ''Film/{{Zombi 2}}'', which had cameos from actual off-duty NYPD officers in full uniform), live-action films and television shows with police officers in them use uniforms that are deliberately incorrect to avoid any hint of this[[note]] It is, however, a [[PopCultureUrbanLegends urban legend]] that there are laws mandating this outside of duplication of badges -- the productions usually do it voluntarily out of concern that the items could be used illegally. In many of the Mark VII productions, such as ''Series/{{Dragnet}}'', the costumes are much more authentic, down to in a few rare cases being granted permission to use actual [=LAPD=] badges as opposed to subtly incorrect replicas, as [[BackedByThePentagon the shows had the full support of the Los Angeles Police Department]] thanks to Creator/JackWebb's relationship with the department stretching back to the radio version of ''Dragnet''.[[/note]]. Fancy dress police costumes are also deliberately different from genuine ones to reduce the chance of being mistaken for a genuine officer. In RealLife, police forces/departments exercise rigorous control over their uniforms — losing, giving away, or otherwise transferring any part of their uniform can lead to serious disciplinary measures being taken against officers and old and worn items are destroyed rather than risking the chance of them falling into the wrong hands. It's very usual for uniforms to be stored on police premises only and officers change into them on arrival for their shifts and at no time do they leave the building unless being worn on duty.

* ''FanFic/PointOfSuccession'', a ''Manga/DeathNote'' AlternateUniverseFic, has Matt impersonate a cop under L's orders.

* A military variant is used in ''FanFic/OriginStory'', where in order to rescue Louise from a secure military base, ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, ComicBook/SpiderMan, and [[ComicBook/{{Avengers}} The Wasp]] dress up in military uniforms and use forged [=IDs=] and orders to get in. (It turns out that Captain America's uniform is real.)

* ''Series/GothamKnights2023'': In "[[Recap/GothamKnights2023S1E3UnderPressure Under Pressure]]" Cullen dresses as a GCPD officer with Duela's help to retreive evidence she wants from a police station.

* In ''LightNovel/AnotherNote'', Rue Ryuuzaki is really [[spoiler: the notorious SerialKiller and former Wammy's kid, Beyond Birthday]]. He poses as an "unprivate detective", as well as copying [[Manga/DeathNote L's]] dress and mannerisms.

** In the ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoLibertyCityStories'' mission "The Shoreside Redemption", Toni has to take a police cruiser and discreetly join the prison van convoy transporting a recently-freed Salvatore Leone to his courthouse hearing. The convoy is ambushed by Sicilians leaving Toni as the only 'police' enforcer left to defend Salavtore from further ambushes and pursuing enemies.

DoNotTryThisAtHome — intentionally attempting to impersonate a police officer is a serious crime in most jurisdictions. With a few exceptions (including ''Film/{{Zombi 2}}'', which had cameos from actual off-duty NYPD officers in full uniform), live-action films and television shows with police officers in them use uniforms that are deliberately incorrect to avoid any hint of this[[note]] It is, however, a PopCultureUrbanLegend that there are laws mandating this -- the productions usually do it voluntarily out of concern that the items could be used illegally. In many of the Mark VII productions, such as ''Series/{{Dragnet}}'', the costumes are much more authentic, down to in a few rare cases being granted permission to use actual [=LAPD=] badges as opposed to subtly incorrect replicas, as [[BackedByThePentagon the shows had the full support of the Los Angeles Police Department]] thanks to Creator/JackWebb's relationship with the department stretching back to the radio version of ''Dragnet''.[[/note]]. Fancy dress police costumes are also deliberately different from genuine ones to reduce the chance of being mistaken for a genuine officer. In RealLife, police forces/departments exercise rigorous control over their uniforms — losing, giving away, or otherwise transferring any part of their uniform can lead to serious disciplinary measures being taken against officers and old and worn items are destroyed rather than risking the chance of them falling into the wrong hands. It's very usual for uniforms to be stored on police premises only and officers change into them on arrival for their shifts and at no time do they leave the building unless being worn on duty.

DoNotTryThisAtHome — intentionally attempting to impersonate a police officer is a serious crime in most jurisdictions. With a few exceptions (including ''Film/{{Zombi 2}}'', which had cameos from actual off-duty NYPD officers in full uniform), live-action films and television shows with police officers in them use uniforms that are deliberately incorrect to avoid any hint of this[[note]] It is, however, a PopCultureUrbanLegend that there are laws mandating this -- the productions usually do it voluntarily out of concern that the items could be used illegally. In many of the Mark VII productions, such as ''Series/{{Dragnet}}'', the costumes are much more authentic, down to in a few cases using actual [=LAPD=] badges as opposed to subtly incorrect replicas, as [[BackedByThePentagon the shows had the full support of the Los Angeles Police Department]] thanks to Creator/JackWebb's relationship with the department stretching back to the radio version of ''Dragnet''.[[/note]]. Fancy dress police costumes are also deliberately different from genuine ones to reduce the chance of being mistaken for a genuine officer. In RealLife, police forces/departments exercise rigorous control over their uniforms — losing, giving away, or otherwise transferring any part of their uniform can lead to serious disciplinary measures being taken against officers and old and worn items are destroyed rather than risking the chance of them falling into the wrong hands. It's very usual for uniforms to be stored on police premises only and officers change into them on arrival for their shifts and at no time do they leave the building unless being worn on duty.

DoNotTryThisAtHome — intentionally attempting to impersonate a police officer is a serious crime in most jurisdictions. With a few exceptions (including ''Film/{{Zombi 2}}'', which had cameos from actual off-duty NYPD officers in full uniform), live-action films and television shows with police officers in them use uniforms that are deliberately incorrect to avoid any hint of this. Fancy dress police costumes are also deliberately different from genuine ones to reduce the chance of being mistaken for a genuine officer. In RealLife, police forces/departments exercise rigorous control over their uniforms — losing, giving away, or otherwise transferring any part of their uniform can lead to serious disciplinary measures being taken against officers and old and worn items are destroyed rather than risking the chance of them falling into the wrong hands. It's very usual for uniforms to be stored on police premises only and officers change into them on arrival for their shifts and at no time do they leave the building unless being worn on duty.

* In the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre of 1929, saw hitmen hired by Al Capone's gang dressed as police officers, captured members of the North Side gang, and executed them.

* ''Film/AbsolutePower'': Two snipers, each unaware of the other, try to shoot Luther when he arrives at an outdoor café to meet his daughter. They both miss, and Luther escapes through the police cordon wearing the uniform of a police officer he had hidden beneath his coat.

** ''Film/AntManAndTheWasp'': The FBI manage to arrest Hank Pym and Hope Van Dyne thanks to a tip off from Sonny Birch. To get them out of custody, Scott uses Hank's ant colonies to sneak them disguises. Hope dons her Wasp costume and shrinks down, while Hank is given an FBI windbreaker, hat, and sunglasses, allowing him to walk out the door with no one being any the wiser.

* Film/InspectorGadget, meet your EvilTwin Robo-Gadget, who's not so much impersonating a police officer as he is downright smearing the police officer's good name by committing all sorts of crimes.

* ''Series/InFromTheCold'': One of the terrorists dresses as a police officer to ger near the prime minister, whom their group is plotting to assassinate.

* When we first meet Harry in ''Film/HomeAlone'', he poses as a cop, checking in on all the houses in the neighborhood, seeing who will be leaving for the holidays, allow him and Marv to rob them later. Unfortunately, Kevin realizes who he is when he sees Harry and Marv driving around in the neighborhood in their plumber's van, and more importantly notices [[TwinkleSmile Harry's gold tooth]].

* ''Literature/TheThreeInvestigators'': Book #9 (''The Mystery of the Screaming Clock'') has the ClassyCatBurglar Hugenay arrange for two of his men to dress up as a police officer. When the cops show up and try to use that as a charge, he points out the fake cops are in fact wearing New York Police uniforms (the series is set in California), and as such cannot be accused of impersonating the local police.

* In ''Literature/TheLaundrySeries'' Bob frequently impersonates law enforcement or other government officials when doing field work, facilitated by a Laundry-issue warrant card that compels the person to whom he shows it to believe him. Given that the Laundry's main job is occult counterintelligence and everything they do is classified under a section of the Official Secrets Act that is ''itself'' classified, he doesn't have much choice.