Mounting a LED Blue and Red Lightbar in my Windshield

My question involves criminal law for the state of: Washington state

A couple months ago I bought a for my windshield mounted by suction cup. I'm using it for pranks on YouTube.

My friend told me that just having the lights installed I'm my car will get me a huge ticket and possibly jail because it's considered impersonating a cop, even if I don't use the lights on public streets.

If a cop where to ever search my car and find it could I get in trouble? What is the law?

Will I get into trouble having the lightbar mounted, but not activated? Or is just having it in my possession a crime? What is the law?

I'm in Washington State

If you have the lights mounted or primed and available for use in ANY way inside or on the vehicle, you are toast. If you are actually ACTIVACING the lights and interacting with other drivers or members of the public in such a way that they think, at ANY time during the encounter, that you are activiting those lights as a law enforcement officer, you are MORE than toast and likely to face a serious criminal charge of impersonating an officer. Don't be stupid. Take this thing OUT of your car immediately, if not sooner. Not only do you not want to be facing arrest, you also don't want to face massive fees to get your vehicle out of storage should it be seized and towed pursuant to your arrest. You won't find ANY humor in the amount of money it'll take to get your car back.


204-21-230
Lighting equipment prohibited.

(1) The addition of a lamp, reflective device or other motor vehicle equipment must not impair the effectiveness of lighting equipment required by 49 C.F.R. Part 571.108 or chapter 46.37 RCW.
(a) If a vehicle is in motion on a public roadway, the vehicle must not:
(i) Display aftermarket neon lighting devices.
(ii) Combine any type of letter, number, sign, symbol or combination thereof with an eye level brake light meeting the standards of 49 C.F.R. Part 571.108 (FMVSS 108). No function other than red reflex reflectors shall be combined in eye level brake lights.
(iii) Have a lighted or electrically/mechanically powered sign or message board enabling change or movement of any displayed message to be displayed or affixed to the vehicle. Except:
(A) Vehicles that are used in conjunction with officially sanctioned or sponsored motor vehicle traffic control or movement may display lighted or electrically powered signs to assist in the efficient control of traffic movement on public roadways. The signs must be designed, worded, and located to limit misinterpretation and confusion by the motoring public.
(B) Electric signs may be unitized to identify taxicabs and the destinations of mass transportation vehicles. These signs must not contain any commercial or personal message and must be designed, worded, and located so that it is clearly differentiated from other required motor vehicle lights.
(b) If a vehicle is not in motion and parked on private property, the vehicle may use aftermarket lighting except as outlined under RCW 47.36.180.
(c) This section is not intended to prohibit a scrolling sign provided that the scrolling sign must:
(i) Be powered by an external source or in a manner which does not cause the required equipment on the vehicle to be out of compliance with 49 C.F.R. Part 571, chapter 46.37 RCW or Title 204 WAC.
(ii) Not be lit.
(iii) Not have continual motion.
(2) Pursuant to Title 49 C.F.R. Part 571.108, the addition of an aftermarket style ornament or other feature such as tinted plastic glass covers, a grille or allotted covers must not be placed in front of the headlamp lens, or in front of any other lighting devices installed on motor vehicles which impair the effectiveness of lighting equipment required under 49 C.F.R. Part 571.108 (FMVSS 108) or chapter 46.37 RCW. Except:
(a) Clear aftermarket headlamp covers.
(b) Headlamp wipers may be used in front of the lens provided that the headlamp system is designed to conform to all applicable photometric requirements in 49 C.F.R. Part 571.108 (FMVSS 108) with the wiper stopped in any position in front of the lens.
(c) A bike rack may be installed on the front of a municipal transit vehicle (as defined under RCW 46.04.355) provided that even with the bike rack installed, loaded or unloaded with bicycles, the headlight system still conforms with all applicable photometric requirements in 49 C.F.R. Part 571.108 (FMVSS 108).
(3) Red emergency lights are prohibited on any vehicle other than an authorized emergency vehicle, a law enforcement vehicle, an emergency tow truck as defined in WAC 204-88-030 (1), (2), and (5), school buses, and private carrier buses.
(4) Blue lights are prohibited on any vehicle other than a law enforcement vehicle as defined in WAC 204-21-010.
(5) Flashing white lights are prohibited on any vehicle other than authorized emergency vehicles, law enforcement vehicles, school buses, and emergency tow trucks as defined in WAC 204-88-030 (1), (2), and (5).
[Statutory Authority: RCW 46.37.005 and 46.37.320. WSR 08-19-104, § 204-21-230, filed 9/17/08, effective 10/18/08.]



RCW 9A.60.040
Criminal impersonation in the first degree.

(1) A person is guilty of criminal impersonation in the first degree if the person:

(a) Assumes a false identity and does an act in his or her assumed character with intent to defraud another or for any other unlawful purpose; or

(b) Pretends to be a representative of some person or organization or a public servant and does an act in his or her pretended capacity with intent to defraud another or for any other unlawful purpose.

(2) Criminal impersonation in the first degree is a class C felony.


[2004 c 11 § 1; 2003 c 53 § 78; 1993 c 457 § 1; 1975 1st ex.s. c 260 § 9A.60.040.]



RCW 9A.60.045
Criminal impersonation in the second degree.

(1) A person is guilty of criminal impersonation in the second degree if the person:

(a)(i) Claims to be a law enforcement officer or creates an impression that he or she is a law enforcement officer; and

(ii) Under circumstances not amounting to criminal impersonation in the first degree, does an act with intent to convey the impression that he or she is acting in an official capacity and a reasonable person would believe the person is a law enforcement officer; or

(b) Falsely assumes the identity of a veteran or active duty member of the armed forces of the United States with intent to defraud for the purpose of personal gain or to facilitate any unlawful activity.

(2) Criminal impersonation in the second degree is a gross misdemeanor.


[2004 c 124 § 1; 2004 c 11 § 2; 2003 c 53 § 79.]

Notes:
Reviser's note: This section was amended by 2004 c 11 § 2 and by 2004 c 124 § 1, each without reference to the other. Both amendments are incorporated in the publication of this section under RCW 1.12.025(2). For rule of construction, see RCW 1.12.025(1).
Effective date -- 2004 c 124: "This act takes effect July 1, 2004." [2004 c 124 § 2.]

Effective date -- 2004 c 11: See note following RCW 9A.60.040.

Intent -- Effective date -- 2003 c 53: See notes following RCW 2.48.180.

Forget whatever your joke was supposed to be. Listen to those here with Sense. Get those lights out of your car. Sell them ASAP in case anyone wants to claim you tried to impersonate a police officer.

This is the kind of prank that can get you sent to jail, or even shot! What if the guy you flash these lights on happens to be a wanted and armed felon?!?!

And when you post this to YouTube you are simply posting evidence of your impersonating an officer!

This is not a bright idea at all. And, as pointed out, it can be against the law.

My favorite impersonating an officer stories are the ones where the nimrods pull over a real officer. :D

Wow Washington laws seem quite strict. In PA, those who volunteer at local fire cos. or as EMS are permitted to have flashing blue lights in their personal vehicles. OP, while I agree with the advice you've been given, I will say this. If you have a good amount of PRIVATE property, do whatever you want. But I would ensure that I was well out of view of anyone who could potential mistake my activity for that of actual LEO activity. Private property is different. I would not drive around my private property abutting public property with those flashing lights. I wouldn't care about driving around the woods on my PRIVATE property with those lights. Understand the difference?

Quote:

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Quoting PADriver13

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Wow Washington laws seem quite strict. In PA, those who volunteer at local fire cos. or as EMS are permitted to have flashing blue lights in their personal vehicles.

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That may fall under "authorized emergency vehicles".

Different states have different rules on light colors.

Some states the police lights are always blue.

Even in PA it is illegal for "red and blue" lights to be displayed by other than authorized emergency vehicles. Even volunteer fire fighters can not have this. These are reserved for real police and fire vehicles.

Blue-only lights even in PA, are highly restricted. Being a fire department member is NOT sufficient. The department must set up it's rules for those use and those rules along with the names of the people authorized to use them in the department must be forwarded to the state police. Further, you may only use them from the inside of the vehicle and on the way to calls and they do not allow you to violate the traffic laws or drive unsafely.

[QUOTE=aardvarc;831663]


(4) Blue lights are prohibited on any vehicle other than a law enforcement vehicle as defined in WAC 204-21-010.[/B]




Thank you aardvarc, I removed the lights immediately, especially after reading that which made me feel like a dumbass despite how much I appreciate it. So another question for you or others: I see drivers have blue steady LED lights in front of cars as car modifications, is this legal or what is your take on this regarding the law.

"Blue lights are prohibited"

That means any blue light, of any shape or form, ANYWHERE on the vehicle is a violation. Those displaying such lights are simply asking for the same kind of trouble you're helping yourself to avoid. It's not uncommon for those wishing to display such lights to have switches inside the vehicle which allows them to turn the lights off if they see any John Q. Laws around, but they often forget that not all police are in marked vehicles, and police in their own private cars are STILL police officers and can act (or call others to act) when they see such violations. Or, they've just gotten lucky...so far.