(The Center Square) – The penalty for impersonating a police officer, firefighter or emergency medical officer is now a felony in Wisconsin.

Lawmakers pushed for the change from a misdemeanor to felony after several incidents in the state and when Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed by a man impersonating an officer in June.

The bill was signed into law by Gov. Tony Evers along with 33 other bills earlier this month.

Bill sponsors said that the update was requested by law enforcement, which cited an incident where a man impersonating U.S. Border Patrol joined an officer at a scene where a teenager had collided with a deer.

“This bill sends a powerful message that impersonating a law enforcement officer isn’t just lying, it’s weaponizing public trust that puts citizens at risk, it underminds confidence in real officers and it enables serious crimes,” said Jim Palmer, Executive Director of Wisconsin Professional Police Association.

Police and lawmakers also cited a 2018 case where a Franklin man impersonated an officer and 2023 cases where a man impersonated a Sun Prairie police officer in a phone scam and one where a Germantown man impersonated a Washington County sheriff’s deputy and claimed he could get charges dropped in exchange for explicit photos and sex.

Now the charges will match those in Wisconsin for impersonating someone who works for a state utility or public officer.

The new law makes impersonating an officer, firefighter or medical first responder a Class I felony punishable by up to 3 ½ years in jail and a $10,000 fine instead of the current misdemeanor where the maximum punishment is nine months.

“At its core, this proposal is about public safety. When someone pretends to be an officer, they put innocent people at risk,” Palmer wrote in testimony on the bill. “We’ve seen cases in Wisconsin where individuals conducted fake traffic stops, wore tactical gear, and claimed authority they did not have. These encounters are not harmless stunts — they are dangerous situations that can escalate quickly, particularly when weapons are involved or when the victims are children, seniors, or others who feel powerless to question authority.”