What constitutes impersonating a police officer?

Impersonating a police officer involves representing oneself as a law enforcement official or performing their official duties without the proper authorization to do so. This includes actions where an individual claims to have the authority, powers, or responsibilities of a peace officer, misleading others into believing they are acting within the scope of law enforcement. The crucial element here is the intention to deceive and the act of taking on the role of an authorized officer when one is not legally permitted to do so.

While the other options touch on elements related to police authority or presence, they do not fully encapsulate the act of impersonation. Wearing a police uniform without proper documentation could imply a form of impersonation, but it does not automatically mean the individual is claiming to be a police officer or engaging in law enforcement duties. Similarly, being mistaken for a peace officer does not involve intentional deceit and rather deals with misidentification. Documenting police reports without a badge also does not qualify as impersonation if the individual is not claiming to be a peace officer; rather, it suggests unauthorized use of police reporting procedures without the presumption of impersonation. Thus, the focus on unauthorized representation and action is what solidifies the correctness of identifying the act as impersonation in the law enforcement context.