Impersonating a firefighter online, a new case for police

[greg72982]

Which would be easy for you since you rarely wear pants!

Yeah but my car is a manual transmission so I don't usually have a free hand...

[kels]

a little too much info Greg LOL

[Ispbear]

718.2 IMPERSONATING A PUBLIC OFFICIAL.
Any person who falsely claims to be or assumes to act as an
elected or appointed officer, magistrate, peace officer, or person
authorized to act on behalf of the state or any subdivision thereof,
having no authority to do so, commits an aggravated misdemeanor.

[MikeG]

Apparently, I'm one of very few who were there but wasn't a SEAL, Special Forces, sniper or tunnel rat.....

I remember years ago listening to some guy in a bar talking about when he was a sniper over there. I casually asked him what kind of rifle he used and he said he "didn't remember".....

Gotta have a good backstory. I say " .308 or .309. Whatever it took to get the job done."

[marinepilot]

a little too much info Greg LOL

+ eleventy BILLION!!

[Gumtree]

+ eleventy BILLION!!

[Joeyd6]

Amazing there is a law out there that will get a guy arrested for playing FF online but the Federal Courts don't like the "Stolen Valor" Law.

Slow down......we do have a Stolen Valor Act. And don't let one agencies interpretation that somebody who SAYS they are a war hero or wears a military uniform should be arrested and punished in a criminal court of law. The law as written was flawed. A certain fed agency has been arresting anyone who claims to be a vet = stolen valor.

Just like this "wanna-be" firefighter and every other idiot out there, including those impersonating a GOV employee of any kind. We live in America and you have a Constitutional Right to freedom of speech. You can call yourself whatever you want. While stupid, unethical, the Constitution protects you. While you can't yell "fire" in a crowed theater when there is none, saying "I am a a vet and I got this medal" poses no immediate harm or risk to others. It is a Constitutionally Protected right.

I have still made multiple arrests for Stolen Valor and got convictions federally since this crap was overturned in 2010. The difference is these folks made their statement/claim, and then used to obtain a "benefit" they were not entitled to. AKA- words + "benefit" = stolen valor. The federal courts have no issue prosecuting these matters once it goes beyond just saying it. And quite frankly, I have no problem with it. We can't tromp on the U.S. Constitution because of a few idiots.

Its still there and being worked hard by some federal LE agencies.......don't worry!

[greg72982]

a little too much info Greg LOL

+ eleventy BILLION!!

Hey he brought it up...

[retdetsgt]

I came across a site some years ago that dedicates itself to debunking and exposing anyone who claims to have been a SEAL. The guy had quite a list of people including college professors and would be politicians who claimed to be one that they had publicly debunked and how. I wouldn't want to mess with them!

[MikeG]

I came across a site some years ago that dedicates itself to debunking and exposing anyone who claims to have been a SEAL. The guy had quite a list of people including college professors and would be politicians who claimed to be one that they had publicly debunked and how. I wouldn't want to mess with them!

veriseal.org is the one I've seen. There may be more.

on edit: AuthentiSEAL.org is another

//But my super-secret squirrel seal team is classified.

[ET109]

Maybe the judge could order him to plaster "too much of a loser to be a firefighter" all over his facebook page. I think embarrassment is the best punishment when there is no actual use of power.

Unless, of course, you are wearing a trident in a bar... then the best punishment is to meet the real deal in there.