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SB 47

Impersonation of law-enforcement officer while committing additional act; penalties.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Christie Craig

Virginia law creates enhanced criminal penalties when someone impersonates a law enforcement officer while committing additional crimes, increasing prosecution tools for compound offenses.

Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB47)
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 47

Legislative bill overview

SB 47 establishes enhanced criminal penalties for individuals who impersonate law enforcement officers while simultaneously committing additional crimes. The bill creates a specific statutory offense that treats impersonation as a compounding factor that increases culpability when paired with other criminal conduct.

Why is this important

Impersonation of law enforcement during the commission of crimes creates heightened public safety risks—it exploits citizen compliance, undermines trust in actual police, and enables criminals to evade accountability or facilitate other offenses. This legislation addresses a gap in prosecution tools by explicitly penalizing the combination of impersonation and additional crimes as a distinct offense.

Potential points of contention

  • Definition scope: Unclear whether the bill covers all forms of impersonation (verbal claims, uniforms, badges, credentials) or only certain representations, which could affect enforcement consistency
  • Sentencing proportionality: Enhanced penalties for impersonation-plus-crime combinations may be seen as either justified public protection or potentially excessive depending on the underlying offense severity
  • Evidentiary burden: Prosecutors must prove both the impersonation and the additional act, creating complexity in cases where impersonation intent is disputed or ambiguous

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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