Changes to restrict access to police items and vehicles

Nova Scotia is changing who can access police items (like uniforms, badges, crests and hats) and vehicle markings and vehicle equipment. The Police Identity Management Act will make it harder to buy police uniforms, create replica vehicles and obtain other items that could be used to impersonate a police officer. The change takes effect 12 May 2022.

The Police Identity Management Act prohibits unauthorized individuals from selling, reproducing, possessing and using police items (like uniforms, badges, crests and hats). It also prohibits unauthorized individuals from selling marked police vehicles and restricts them from possessing police vehicle markings (like decals and blue light bar) and vehicle equipment.

Why the law is changing

In April 2020, the worst mass casualty event in Canadian history took place in Nova Scotia. A person disguised as a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer had access to parts of a police uniform, vehicle decals, badges and items to replicate an RCMP vehicle.

By changing how unauthorized individuals can access police items, police vehicles, vehicle markings and vehicle equipment, the new legislation improves public safety and reduces the risk of a similar event happening again. The changes also help re-establish confidence in the symbols that identify police officers.

What the change means

The Police Identity Management Act will restrict the sale, reproduction, possession and use of police items, vehicles, vehicle markings and vehicle equipment to authorized individuals only (authorized individuals are defined in the act).

You’re only authorized to possess police items that are currently in use by a police agency in Canada if you’re an active member of a police agency or a police cadet and you require the police items for work.

If you have police items that are currently in use by a police agency in Canada and you’re unauthorized to have them, you must forfeit them or make them unserviceable before the legislation comes into effect on 12 May 2022. You can keep ceremonial uniforms and police items that are not currently in use by a police agency in Canada.

To forfeit an item, you can turn in the item to your local police station or RCMP detachment.

Making uniforms (including hats) unserviceable means that you permanently alter the uniform so that it’s unwearable. For police items (like badges and crests) this means permanently encasing the item in acrylic. Individuals may choose to do this to retain an item of high sentimental value.

Police agencies need to properly decommission all police vehicles before sale. If you’re in possession of a used police vehicle, you need to remove all vehicle markings and vehicle equipment (like light bars, decals and other markings) and bring the items to your local police station or RCMP detachment for safe disposal. You can also contact your local police station or RCMP detachment with any questions.

Police agencies throughout the province will be required to have asset management and disposal policies in place for police items and vehicle markings and vehicle equipment. Police agencies can’t sell a used police vehicle until it ‘s fully decommissioned.

Prohibited and permitted police items and vehicles

Prohibited	Permitted
You can’t possess any police vehicle markings (like decals and blue light bar) and vehicle equipment from any police agency in Canada from any point in time. This includes light bars and police decals. Only those authorized by the Police Identity Management Act can possess these items.	You can own decommissioned police vehicles as long as you remove and return any police vehicle markings (like decals and blue light bar) and vehicle equipment to your local police station or RCMP detachment for safe disposal.
You can’t possess police badges, crests and uniforms currently in use by a police agency in Canada. Only those authorized by the Police Identity Management Act can possess these items.	You can keep police items if they’re not currently in use by a police agency in Canada. You can only keep police items (like uniforms, badges, crests and hats) that are currently in use by a police agency in Canada if you make the items unserviceable. You can keep ceremonial police uniforms.
Businesses can’t sell police items like uniforms, vehicle markings (like decals and blue light bar) and vehicle equipment unless the purchaser is authorized to possess them under the Police Identity Management Act.	Businesses can sell police items like uniforms, vehicle markings and vehicle equipment if the purchaser is authorized to possess them under the Police Identity Management Act. A purchaser must provide proof that they’re authorized under the act (proof can include identification).
Businesses can’t make or reproduce police uniforms or vehicle markings (like decals and blue light bar) and vehicle equipment unless they sell the items to an authorized person, business or organization.	Businesses can make or reproduce police uniforms or vehicle markings (like decals and blue light bar) and vehicle equipment if they sell the items to an authorized person, business or organization.
	Dramatic works and films can use police items for dramatic works, including movies, but need to dispose of them once they are no longer used for that purpose.

What you need to do with police items, vehicles, vehicle markings and vehicle equipment

Retired police officers

You need to dispose of or make items unserviceable if they’re the same as items currently in use by a police agency in Canada. This includes police uniforms, badges and crests.

For example, you can only keep a police badge that’s currently in use by a police agency in Canada if it’s encased in acrylic. To keep a uniform, you need to remove all identifying markings and cut the items so they can’t be worn.

You can keep ceremonial police uniforms.

Collectors

You will no longer be permitted to buy or sell police items currently in use by a police agency in Canada. You will also no longer be permitted to possess police items currently in use by a police agency in Canada unless you make them unserviceable.

Vendors

Businesses can only sell police items to individuals who are authorized under the Police Identity Management Act.

Businesses must ask buyers to verify that they’re authorized to possess police items. Buyers need to provide proof that they’re authorized to possess police items.

An individual located in Nova Scotia can’t buy or sell police items through an online platform (like on eBay, Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace).

Within Nova Scotia, suppliers and manufacturers can only sell police uniforms and other police items to people authorized to possess them under the Police Identity Management Act.

Theatre and film industry

You can use police items that are currently in use by a police agency in Canada when making a dramatic work, but you need to dispose of the items in a manner that complies with the Police Identity Management Act when the production is over.

You need to notify the local police agency, municipality and the Department of Justice 14 days in advance of using the police items. Notice needs to include:

list of items to be used
location where the items will be used and stored
dates for use of the items
plan for safe storage of the items
plan for disposing of the items once the production is completed

Enforcement

Police have the authority to search and seize police items if they have reasonable grounds to believe an unauthorized individual is selling, reproducing, possessing or using police items unlawfully.

Individuals can be fined up to $10,000 or be sentenced to 3 months in jail if they’re found guilty of an offence under the Police Identity Management Act. Business can be fined up to $25,000. Tickets for offences under the act can result in fines ranging from $352.50 for failing to report lost or stolen police items to $1,475.50 for possessing police items without authorization.