Andrew Rothman wrote:
I think that calling the carry badge itself a misdemeanor is a big stretch.
I think that they are idiotic, but the statute requires
intent to impersonate a cop:
Quote:
displays or possesses without authority any badge...or a reasonable facsimile of any of these items, with the intent to deceive another or with the intent to induce another to submit to his pretended official authority or to rely upon his pretended official act.
The badge ain't illegal unless you use it, or intend to use it, to convince someone that you are a cop.
You can think they are idiots all you want, law breakers that are convicted think this everyday. So as you point out, wearing it would meet the criteria of an attempt to deceive another or pretended official authority, to wear it would be using it, therefore a class B misdemeanor in Utah. In the Utah instructor course I took, when the use of deadly force to stop the commission of a felony in Utah was discussed, I asked several questions about the Utah statute to make it clear in my mind.
I cover this in my Utah class, as I assume any thorough Utah instructor would. If not covered, I guess that Utah instructor would be consider to be giving a "Coconut Charlie" class.