New Law Increases Penalties for Officer Impersonation in Minnesota

A law making police and peace officer impersonation a felony went into effect in Minnesota on Aug. 1. 

The idea for this bill came to Rep. Ginny Klevorn, DFL-Plymouth, after the fatal shooting of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, as well as shootings that injured Sen. John Hoffman, DFL-Champlin, and his wife, Yvette. All were targeted at their homes by an officer impersonator.

“The perpetrator, the assassin, used the trust of police to get both the Hortmans and the Hoffmans to open their door. And he relied on the fact that we have trust in our local police officers,” Klevorn said in an interview with CCX News. “And with that trust, we would open the door– any of us, any legislator would open the door.”

She said she worked on the bill for months with Minnesota sheriffs, police chiefs, and the Minnesota Peace and Police Officers Association. When she finished writing it, she brought it to Hoffman– who was then in recovery– to give feedback and make changes.

Rep. Kristin Bahner, DFL-Maple Grove, co-presented the bill in the House with Klevorn. The same suspect, Vance Boelter, had stopped by Bahner’s home that same night, but she wasn’t home.

Rep. Ginny Klevorn presents cop impersonator bill in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

What the Law Includes

The law includes a few different provisions. First, it increases the penalty for impersonating a police officer from a misdemeanor to a felony.

The law also increases the sentence if the person intending to mislead gains access to certain buildings, directs someone to do something or operates a vehicle that’s designed to look like a police vehicle.

There are also increased penalties for those impersonating an officer within five years of a previous conviction, and a new penalty for those who have a firearm while impersonating an officer. Penalties are also enhanced when another crime is committed while impersonating an officer.

The final piece of the law requires officers from both inside and outside the state — when in Minnesota — to be identifiable when on duty. In uniform, that requires the employer, their name and ID number.

Klevorn said the bill is meant to protect both peace officers and civilians.

“The real intent of the bill is to protect public safety, to make sure citizens know the officer who arrives at their door is truly an officer with the full power of the state behind their work. And also, to protect the integrity of law enforcement,” Klevorn said.

The bill passed unanimously in both the House and the Senate.

Plymouth