843.08 False personation.—A person who falsely assumes or pretends to be a firefighter, a sheriff, an officer of the Florida Highway Patrol, an officer of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, an officer of the Department of Environmental Protection, an officer of the Department of Financial Services, any personnel or representative of the Division of Investigative and Forensic Services, an officer of the Department of Corrections, a correctional probation officer, a deputy sheriff, a state attorney or an assistant state attorney, a statewide prosecutor or an assistant statewide prosecutor, a state attorney investigator, a coroner, a police officer, a lottery special agent or lottery investigator, a beverage enforcement agent, a school guardian as described in s. 30.15(1)(k), a security officer licensed under chapter 493, any member of the Florida Commission on Offender Review or any administrative aide or supervisor employed by the commission, any personnel or representative of the Department of Law Enforcement, or a federal law enforcement officer as defined in s. 901.1505, and takes upon himself or herself to act as such, or to require any other person to aid or assist him or her in a matter pertaining to the duty of any such officer, commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. However, a person who falsely personates any such officer during the course of the commission of a felony commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. If the commission of the felony results in the death or personal injury of another human being, the person commits a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. In determining whether a defendant has violated this section, the court or jury may consider any relevant evidence, including, but not limited to, whether the defendant used lights in violation of s. 316.2397 or s. 843.081.
History.—s. 18, ch. 1637, 1868; RS 2587; GS 3507; RGS 5395; CGL 7535; s. 3, ch. 28118, 1953; s. 1, ch. 63-433; ss. 1, chs. 65-148, 65-199; s. 3, ch. 67-2207; ss. 20, 25, 33, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 1041, ch. 71-136; s. 32, ch. 73-334; s. 1, ch. 77-174; s. 28, ch. 79-8; s. 42, ch. 88-122; s. 1, ch. 88-339; s. 8, ch. 89-208; s. 475, ch. 94-356; s. 65, ch. 95-257; s. 9, ch. 95-283; s. 3, ch. 96-256; s. 232, ch. 99-245; s. 20, ch. 2006-305; s. 2, ch. 2007-112; s. 28, ch. 2012-88; s. 20, ch. 2014-191; s. 1, ch. 2015-29; s. 2, ch. 2019-22; s. 14, ch. 2019-141; s. 31, ch. 2021-113; s. 7, ch. 2022-180.
