03/29/1999 01:38 PM Senate JUD

          SB 114-IMPERSONATE POLICE/EMERGENCY VEHICLE                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS. SUE MOSSGROVE, staff to Senator Robin Taylor, presented SB 114.                                                             
The bill arose from public complaints about a decommissioned police                                                             
car driven by a man known to have a concealed carry permit and                                                                  
presumed to carry a handgun. The car has been embellished with                                                                  
official looking decals and an antenna which gives it the                                                                       
appearance of an active duty police vehicle.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms. MOSSGROVE explained there is currently no law against this. If                                                              
SB 114 went into law, it would make impersonating a police or                                                                   
emergency vehicle a class B misdemeanor.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
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SENATOR TORGERSON asked about decommissioned police vehicles that                                                               
simply look like police cars. MS. MOSSGROVE explained this law                                                                  
would apply only to vehicles re-adorned to look like  police                                                                    
vehicles.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DONLEY noted that the city of Anchorage has community                                                                   
patrols that drive cars with yellow decals and light bars. He                                                                   
stated the intent of this bill is not to impact these patrols.                                                                  
CHAIRMAN TAYLOR agreed and SENATOR ELLIS reiterated this important                                                              
point. CHAIRMAN TAYLOR suggested they could include the words,                                                                  
"excepting community patrol vehicles" in the text of the bill.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
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Officer Ken Jennings, of the Juneau Police Department, assured the                                                              
committee that community patrols are usually guided by their local                                                              
police department ands he does not foresee any problems with their                                                              
vehicles. He did not object to the bill being amended to                                                                        
specifically exclude community patrol cars.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
In response to Senator Torgerson's concern, OFFICER JENNINGS said                                                               
there is no problem with decommissioned black and white cars that                                                               
merely look like police cars; the problem arises when individuals                                                               
buy these cars and add decals and/or lights with a "police motif".                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN TAYLOR asked how far an individual would have to go before                                                             
they would be guilty of impersonating an officer. OFFICER JENNINGS                                                              
said a person would have to block traffic, yell "Freeze, police",                                                               
show a fake badge or something similar in order to be guilty of                                                                 
that crime.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
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SENATOR DONLEY suggested the committee ask the bill drafter for a                                                               
better definition. SENATOR ELLIS said he would be happy to do this.                                                             
CHAIRMAN TAYLOR said the committee would wait for a tighter                                                                     
definition and then hear the bill again.