An exploratory study of police impersonation crimes: Confrontational offenders and offenses
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22335/rlct.v15i2.1721Keywords:
Impersonation crime, police impersonators, , law enforcement, , COVID-19Abstract
This research focuses on confrontational police impersonation crimes, which include federal agents, official and state personnel, and local or national law enforcement. Extant research that examines police impersonators suggests that the extent of this crime is more widespread than commonly believed and rarely researched. This study attempts to offer a broader perspective compared to previous research and examines different types of fraudulent acts globally. Data from impersonation incidents reported in the international news media were collected using the Google Alert system. News articles from February 2016 through May 2020 were coded employing a content analysis. The results indicate that police impersonation crimes vary in type and motive. The discussion offers suggestions for future research, policies, and regulations.
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