Not really impersonating a police officer, but...

[real_cheep]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Tennessee

Hope this is the appropriate forum for this question!

I live in an area that is very unfriendly to cyclists and I often feel endangered while riding by inconsiderate motorists. I had an idea to make a t-shirt (using those iron-on inkjet transfers) with the logo of a local police jurisdiction, following the assumption that perhaps drivers would be less likely to try to run me off the road if they thought I was a LEO. But it occurred to me that I might somehow run afoul of the law by wearing such a shirt. It seems unlikely, since you can buy apparel online emblazoned with logos of various large metropolitan police forces, but I'm just trying to be cautious and not do anything that might get me into trouble.

 

[Zigner]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Tennessee

Hope this is the appropriate forum for this question!

I live in an area that is very unfriendly to cyclists and I often feel endangered while riding by inconsiderate motorists. I had an idea to make a t-shirt (using those iron-on inkjet transfers) with the logo of a local police jurisdiction, following the assumption that perhaps drivers would be less likely to try to run me off the road if they thought I was a LEO. But it occurred to me that I might somehow run afoul of the law by wearing such a shirt. It seems unlikely, since you can buy apparel online emblazoned with logos of various large metropolitan police forces, but I'm just trying to be cautious and not do anything that might get me into trouble.

What have the local police departments said about your plan?

 

[real_cheep]

Why should I even bother trying to ask them? It's much easier to post a question on a forum. Furthermore, even if I could somehow get the person who took my call at the local PD to be able to wrap their mind around my question and provide a coherent response, would their answer be considered legally binding? I know how things work in the local government around here, and I think it's highly likely that the staffer taking my call would say, "Yeah, go for it", just to get me off the phone, rather than actually trying to find out the correct answer. Sorry if that sounds cynical, but it's the truth.

 

[You Are Guilty]

Why should I even bother trying to ask them? It's much easier to post a question on a forum. Furthermore, even if I could somehow get the person who took my call at the local PD to be able to wrap their mind around my question and provide a coherent response, would their answer be considered legally binding? I know how things work in the local government around here, and I think it's highly likely that the staffer taking my call would say, "Yeah, go for it", just to get me off the phone, rather than actually trying to find out the correct answer. Sorry if that sounds cynical, but it's the truth.

So you prefer to rely on the advice of some anonymous stranger on the internet from who-knows-where ?

However, here's where your research should start:

Criminal impersonation —
(a) A person commits criminal impersonation who, with intent to injure or defraud another person:
(1) Assumes a false identity;
(2) Pretends to be a representative of some person or organization;
(3) Pretends to be an officer or employee of the government; or
(4) Pretends to have a handicap or disability.

(b) A person commits criminal impersonation who pretends to be a law enforcement officer for the purpose of:
(1) Engaging in an activity that is ordinarily and customarily an activity established by law as a law enforcement activity; and
(2) Causing another to believe that the person is a law enforcement officer.

(c) (1) Criminal impersonation under subsection (a) is a Class B misdemeanor. However, if the criminal impersonation was committed to falsely obtain a driver license or photo identification license, the maximum fine of five hundred dollars ($500) shall be imposed.
(2) Criminal impersonation under subsection (b) is a Class A misdemeanor.

 

[VeronicaLodge]

I live in TN in an area frequented by idiot inconsiderate cyclists. just saying.