Tag Archives: t-shirt laws

Is It Illegal to Wear Sheriff T-Shirts? Impersonating People With T-Shirts

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You may have seen t-shirts that said “Sheriff” or “Police.” You might have even been fooled into believing that the person wearing the t-shirt was a member of the police department. It may look like it might be fun to wear a t-shirt like that.  But are people really allowed to wear a t-shirt like that? Does wearing a police or sheriff t-shirt mean that the person wearing it is impersonating an officer?

There is a difference between a non-law enforcement person wearing a sheriff t-shirt and a person who is trying to impersonate a police officer. Sometimes that line can be a finer one than at other times. When wearing a sheriff or police t-shirt, the person wearing it has to remain conscious of how they are presenting themselves. If the person appears to be acting in the capacity of a police officer, such as directing traffic, ordering people out of a buildings, etc., the t-shirt can be construed as a way that the person is impersonating an officer.

If the person is wearing the t-shirt in a purely recreational way, and the person is not giving orders to the public and not trying to act like they have authority of a police officer, the t-shirt should not be breaking any laws. The words “sheriff” or “sheriff’s department” are not copyrighted and are covered by free speech laws as long as they are not misused to fool or endanger people.

Impersonating a police officer with a t-shirt is a serious offense and can result in the arrest and trial of the person who was wearing the t-shirt. A case like that, however, has to be proven. Authorities have the burden of proving that the person was wearing the t-shirt with the intention of fooling other people into believing that he was a police officer.

For the most part, a sheriff or police officer t-shirt is usually seen as a tribute to the local police department and the person will probably not be seen as a real officer. It may, however, be an unwise decision to wear a t-shirt like this in certain situations. People wearing these t-shirts may be looked at with suspicion and they may even be the target for anger or violence. There are people who dislike anyone involved with law enforcement and they may want to take it out on anyone who they see as a possible police officer. There are some occasions where this wouldn’t be a possibility, such as at a small gathering of friends, and others where it is far more likely.

Some police officers don’t appreciate non-officers wearing t-shirts like that and they might interpret it as impersonating an officer. While this might not result in a guilty verdict, it could certainly cause a lot of trouble and embarrassment for the person who was arrested under the suspicion of impersonating law enforcement. In many cases, it’s best to just leave the sheriff t-shirt at home rather than to put yourself at risk of any problems.

Can I Wear a Political T-Shirt When Voting at the Polls?

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Many people like to show their political affiliations by wearing a t-shirt that represents their political candidate or the political party they support. It’s a fun way to show your support for your choice during an election period. However, political t-shirts can be construed in some cases as campaigning for a certain candidate or political party. Whether a t-shirt like this can be worn to the polls depends on the type of t-shirt, how it’s worn and in some cases it comes down to the opinion of the poll workers.

There are states in which anything can be worn to the polls, including political t-shirts. There are also a number of states that don’t allow any political messages of any kind to be worn to the polls.

People in Vermont, South Carolina and New York, for instance, are not allowed to wear a political t-shirt when voting. Anyone showing up at the polls may be asked to either cover up the t-shirt or to turn it inside out so that the message no longer shows. If a voter refuses to do this, poll workers in these states can turn the wearer of the political t-shirt away.

In Maryland and many other states, voters can wear any type of political clothing they wish, but they are not allowed to stay at the polling site after voting. This would constitute campaigning at the poll site, which is illegal. Anyone in a political t-shirt has to leave immediately after voting and stay a few hundred yards away from the polls to avoid being considered a campaigner. This is a way of keeping t-shirts and other campaign paraphernalia from influencing other voters. It also keeps disruptive arguments from breaking out among people with competing political points of view.

In some states, the question gets more complicated. There are some states that have laws about wearing reasonable political messages to the polls. The problem there is defining what is reasonable and what is too much like campaigning for a candidate. The question is subjective and largely comes down to the opinion of the poll workers. They may decide that a bright, noticeable political t-shirt might attract too much attention. Or, they may allow t-shirts but no political buttons. In some cases, these polling places will have a smock that poll workers hand out to people who are wearing clothes that are considered unreasonable. Smaller districts may have jackets to loan to voters to avoid having to turn them away from the polls.

In still other states, each individual county has its own rules about what can and can’t be worn to the polls. This can make it difficult for residents to know exactly what will be allowed in their districts. If you aren’t sure about whether a political t-shirt is allowed in your state or county, call the local courthouse for the information. If you are still unsure, bring a jacket along with you to the polls to avoid being turned away for inappropriate attire.