This section makes it an offense to intentionally or knowingly use, possess, wear, or operate certain police-like items or vehicles in a municipality or police jurisdiction, unless an affirmative defense applies.
Sec. 341.904. POSSESSION OR USE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IDENTIFICATION, INSIGNIA, OR VEHICLE IN A MUNICIPALITY. (a) In this section, "police identification item" means a badge, identification card, insignia, shoulder emblem, or uniform of a municipal police department. (b) A person commits an offense if in a municipality the person intentionally or knowingly: (1) uses, possesses, or wears: (A) a police identification item of the municipal police department; (B) an item bearing the insignia or design prescribed by the police chief of the municipality for officers and employees of the municipal police department to use while engaged in official activities; or (C) within the municipal police department's jurisdiction, an item that is deceptively similar to a police identification item of the department; (2) uses, within the municipal police department's jurisdiction, the name of the department in connection with an object to create the appearance that the object belongs to or is used by the department; or (3) uses, possesses, or operates, within the municipal police department's jurisdiction, a marked patrol vehicle that is deceptively similar to a department patrol vehicle. (c) An item or vehicle is deceptively similar to a police identification item or patrol vehicle of a municipal police department if the circumstances under which the object is used could mislead a reasonable person as to the object's identity. (d) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor. (e) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section that: (1) the object was used or intended to be used exclusively for decorative purposes and: (A) the actor was not engaged in an activity involving police work or security work; or (B) the object was used only in an artistic or dramatic presentation; (2) the actor was engaged in the commercial manufacturing or commercial sales of the items described by Subsection (b); (3) the actor was a licensed peace officer who: (A) was on active duty discharging an official duty for an agency listed under Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, and acting under the agency's direct supervision; and (B) was not privately employed as or hired on an individual or independent contractor basis as a patrolman, guard, watchman, flagman, or traffic conductor; (4) the police chief consented, after determining that consent would serve law enforcement interests in the municipality, to the actor's: (A) using or possessing a police identification item or other insignia of the municipal police department; (B) using, possessing, or wearing an item or insignia similar to a police identification item or insignia of the municipal police department; or (C) operating a vehicle similar to a patrol vehicle of the municipal police department; or (5) the actor prosecuted under this section for wearing a uniform wore a light blue uniform shirt in a municipality that uses a light blue uniform shirt with navy blue pocket flaps and epaulets for its police officers, if the actor's shirt did not have: (A) the contrasting navy blue pocket flaps or epaulets found on the municipal police officers' uniform shirts; and (B) a shoulder emblem similar in shape, color, or design to an emblem found on the municipal police officers' uniform shirts. (f) The attorney general or a municipal attorney, district attorney, or prosecuting attorney performing the duties of district attorney for the district in which a court is located may apply to the district court to enjoin a violation of this section. A district court shall grant an injunction if evidence demonstrates that a violation has occurred or will likely occur. Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 10.05(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 669, Sec. 101, eff. Sept. 1, 2001. Amended by: Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1163 (H.B. 2702), Sec. 94, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 982 (H.B. 683), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 982 (H.B. 683), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2017. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 765 (H.B. 4504), Sec. 2.143, eff. January 1, 2025.