Mass. Gen. Laws » Part IV Title I Chapter 268
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 268, § 33 (2026)

Falsely assuming to be justice of the peace or other officers

✓ current as of July 2026
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[ Text of section effective until November 25, 2025. For text effective November 25, 2025, see below.]

  Section 33. Whoever falsely assumes or pretends to be a justice of the peace, notary public, sheriff, deputy sheriff, medical examiner, associate medical examiner, constable, police officer, probation officer, or examiner, investigator or other officer appointed by the registrar of motor vehicles, or inspector, investigator or examiner of the department of public utilities or the department of telecommunications and cable, or investigator or other officer of the alcoholic beverages control commission, or investigator or other official of the bureau of special investigations, or examiner, investigator or other officer of the department of revenue, and acts as such or requires a person to aid or assist him in a matter pertaining to the duty of such officer, shall be punished by a fine of not more than four hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year.

Chapter 268: Section 33. Falsely assuming to be justice of the peace or other officers

[ Text of section as amended by 2025, 73, Secs. 56 and 57 effective November 25, 2025. For text effective until November 25, 2025, see above.]

  Section 33. Whoever falsely assumes or pretends to be a justice of the peace, notary public, sheriff, deputy sheriff, medical examiner, associate medical examiner, constable, police officer, probation officer, or examiner, investigator or other officer appointed by the registrar of motor vehicles, or inspector, investigator or examiner of the department of public utilities or the department of telecommunications and cable, or investigator or other officer of the alcoholic beverages control commission, or investigator or other official of the bureau of special investigations, or examiner, investigator or other officer of the department of revenue or an officer or employee acting under the authority of the United States or any department, agency or officer thereof, and acts as such or requires a person to aid or assist him in a matter pertaining to the duty of such officer, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 2 1/2 years.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2012–2021 · leading case: United States v. Douglas Chappell, 691 F.3d 388 (4th Cir. 2012).
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United States v. Douglas Chappell, 691 F.3d 388 (4th Cir. 2012). · cites it 4× “CHAPPELL 25 "taking upon himself or herself to act as such, or to require any other person to aid or assist him or her in a matter pertain- ing to the duty of any such officer"); Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 268, § 33 (requiring that the impersonator "acts as [a police officer] or…”
COMMONWEALTH v. HILMA NORDSTROM (& three companion cases )., 100 Mass. App. Ct. 493 (Mass. App. Ct. 2021). · cites it 3× “At the trial of a criminal complaint charging impersonating a police officer in violation of G. L. c. 268, § 33, the evidence was sufficient for the jury to find that the defendants falsely pretended or assumed the role of police officers, even though one of the defendants was…”
Commonwealth v. Lavin, 113 N.E.3d 863 (Mass. App. Ct. 2018). “269, § 10 ( h ) ; and impersonating a police officer, G. L. c. 268, § 33. 1 At the end of the trial, after the defendant was found guilty of possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card, he pleaded guilty to a sentence enhancing element of that charge, one that…”
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