Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Carbon, recently authored House Bill 1357, which would define the impersonation of a law enforcement officer and outline the illegal use of sirens and lights by a person not authorized to do so.

The bill was passed by the House but remains with the Senate Judiciary Committee."There seems to be a disturbing trend in our area with reports appearing in news media about motorists being pulled over and harassed by people impersonating law enforcement officers.In July, a woman was pulled over near Palmerton by someone who was impersonating an officer.A 62-year-old man from Weatherly was arrested for impersonating a sheriff and received ARD treatment.In Penn Forest Township a man who identified himself as a state trooper approached two girls walking alone. He had charges of impersonating an officer dropped in a plea agreement."Heffley said that in 2011, a woman told police she was sitting in her vehicle when she was approached by a man who identified himself as an officer. The woman left the parking lot while the man followed her in a truck that had flashing blue lights on the roof. The man was not apprehended.The proposed law addresses impersonating a law enforcement officer and increases the grading of the offense to a third-degree felony, with a maximum penalty of seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.The bill would amend the current law to require the seller of an emergency vehicle to remove any flashing lights or warning systems before selling the vehicle.Under the bill, a person who sells such a vehicle and knows the person intends to use the vehicle to impersonate a law enforcement officer commits a misdemeanor and faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $2,500 fine."For many of us it is never a positive experience to be pulled over by the police, but motorists across Carbon County and the commonwealth should have the peace of mind that the person pulling them over is actually a police officer."