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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>77999</law_id><section_number>15.2-1612</section_number><catch_line>Wearing of same or similar uniforms by unauthorized persons; penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>19.2-390</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="15.2">Counties, Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Powers of Local Government</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="16">Local Constitutional Officers, Courthouses and Supplies</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="3">Sheriff</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any unauthorized person who wears a uniform identical to or <span class="dictionary">substantially similar</span> to a standard uniform used by an office of sheriff in accordance with &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Standard uniforms and motor vehicle markings to be adopted by sheriffs" href="/15.2-1610/">15.2-1610</a> with the <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to deceive a casual observer or with the <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to impersonate the office of sheriff is guilty of a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. A second or subsequent <span class="dictionary">offense</span> is punishable as a Class 6 <span class="dictionary">felony</span>.
		For purposes of this section, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">substantially similar</span>&#x201D; means so similar in <span class="dictionary">appearance</span> as to be likely to deceive the casual observer.</p></section></text><history>1988, c. 626, &#xA7; 15.1-90.4; 1997, c. 587; 2005, cc. 337, 452; 2013, c. 431.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
