wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > SB 5876 > Original Bill
A person is guilty of false identification as a peace officer if the person:
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Makes, provides to another person, or possesses a card, document, badge, insignia, shoulder emblem, or other item, including a vehicle, bearing an insignia of a law enforcement agency that identifies the person as a peace officer or a reserve law enforcement officer; and
The person who makes, provides, or possesses the item bearing the insignia knows that the person so identified by the item is not commissioned as a peace officer or reserve law enforcement officer as indicated on the item;
Intentionally or knowingly misrepresents an object, including a vehicle, as property belonging to a law enforcement agency. For purposes of this subsection, intentionally or knowingly misrepresenting an object as property belonging to a law enforcement agency includes intentionally or knowingly displaying an item bearing an insignia of a law enforcement agency in a manner that would lead a reasonable person to interpret the item as property belonging to a law enforcement agency.
False identification as a peace officer is a gross misdemeanor.
It is a defense to prosecution under this section that:
The card, document, badge, insignia, shoulder emblem, or other item bearing an insignia of a law enforcement agency clearly identifies the person as an honorary peace officer or reserve law enforcement officer, or as a member of a posse; or
The person identified as a peace officer or reserve law enforcement officer by the item bearing the insignia was commissioned in that capacity when the item was made.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the depiction of law enforcement for matters of cultural, historical, political, religious, educational, newsworthy, or public interest including, but not limited to, use in works of art, commentary, satire, and parody protected by the Washington state Constitution or the United States Constitution.
For purposes of this section, "reserve officer" has the same meaning as provided in RCW 10.93.020.
For purposes of this section, an item bearing an insignia of a law enforcement agency includes an item that contains the word "police," "sheriff," "constable," "marshal," "trooper," or the title of an agency of the federal government employing federal peace officers.
For purposes of this section, "federal peace officer" means any employee or agent of the United States government who has the authority to carry firearms and make warrantless arrests and whose duties involve the enforcement of the laws of the United States.