Impersonation

simplistic2

In theory could you be arrested for impersonating a Garda if you were wearing similar uniforms for a T.V show?

Reloc8

Of the top of my head as such...

In theory you could be arrested for anything, anytime, anyplace, anywhere.

Think of it by analogy; say you were walking around with a crowbar and stopped, and questioned, and the gardai involved did not accept whatever reason you gave for carrying it. You could of course be arrested, detained, questioned and charged - and indeed convicted. If your explanation was accepted you wouldn't be.

Say you were wearing (or indeed in possession of) a more or less good approximation of garda uniform, and again your explanation was not accepted. You could indeed be arrested etc.

On prosecution, the explanation of 'I was involved in a t.v. show' could of course lead to acquittal, if accepted, as there would be no intention of impersonation on that case, if believed.

How to protect oneself against this - notifying the local superintendent in writing well in advance of filming of the intention to use such costumes would seem sensible. Ask for an acknowledgment. Have the correspondence available on set.

I'd like to think as a matter of common sense that a person involved in a dramatic production or something like that would be able to show that this was the case to the satisfaction of the gardai.

An interesting question might arise if the t.v. show in question was a sort of a comedy hoax reality tv thing where the idea was to surprise/amuse/annoy members of the public with an actor in garda guise. Such productions usually protect themselves again by notifying the authorities in advance and then securing an indemnity/waiver from those the subject of the stunt.