§ 132.10. Personating an officer—Official uniforms.

A.

No person, with purpose to defraud or knowing that he is facilitating a fraud, or with purpose to induce another to purchase property or services, shall personate a law enforcement officer, or an inspector, investigator, or agent of any governmental agency.

B.

No person, not a member of the Police Division, shall wear a uniform, cap, badge, or buttons in imitation of the official uniform, cap, badge, or buttons at the time in use by the members of the Police Division.

C.

No person desiring to provide special police or private patrol watchmen, either for himself or for hire, shall use or wear any distinctive uniform, cap, badge, or buttons, unless the specifications thereof are approved by the Chief of Police.

D.

Any decision of the Chief of Police made pursuant to subsection C of this section may be appealed to an Appeal Board hereby created, consisting of the Presiding Judge of the Municipal Court, the Chairman of the Committee of Public Safety of Council, and the Mayor. Such appeal shall be filed within ten days of the date of such decision by any person adversely affected thereby. Such appeal shall be perfected by the appellant filing with the Mayor a written notice of his intention to appeal, together with a deposit of twenty-five dollars, which sum shall be refunded to the appellant in case the Appeal Board renders a decision in favor of the appellant; otherwise, such deposit shall be forfeited to the city. The decision of the Appeal Board shall be rendered within fifteen days from the hearing and shall be final.

E.

Whoever violates subsection A of this section is guilty of personating an officer, a misdemeanor of the first degree.

F.

Whoever violates subsections B or C of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Penalty, see § 130.99. (R.C. § 2913.44)

(Ord. 728-l973; Ord. 859-l959; Ord. 68l-1959)