A bipartisan measure signed into law yesterday expands the crime of impersonating most types of first responders and increases the penalty for those convicted of the offense.
House Bill 152, sponsored by State Rep. Minor-Brown (D-New Castle), Sen. Gerald Hocker (R-Ocean View), Sen. Brian Pettyjohn (R-Georgetown), et. al., broadens the statute to criminalize impersonating a federal officer. It had already been illegal to falsely claim to be a police officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician, paramedic, or fire officer.
The new law also ratchets up the offense from a Class E to a Class D felony. The former carried a possible maximum of five years in jail. The latter raises the potential maximum to eight years behind bars.
All 14 members of the House Republican Caucus voted in favor of the proposal.
