Wendy Cohen seeks to make police impersonation a felony By Sarah Langbein SarahLangbein@coloradoan.com Wendy Cohen's crusade has just begun. Don't be surprised if there is a law that bears her daughter's name someday. "I'd liked to have a Lacy law," Cohen said. With Lacy Miller's killer behind bars, Cohen is focusing her efforts on preventing a similar crime from happening to another innocent person. Jason Peder Clausen kidnapped Miller in the early morning hours of Jan. 18. He impersonated a police officer to kidnap her, using law enforcement paraphernalia such as flashing lights to make himself more believable. He brutally killed her hours later. Clausen was sentenced to life in prison Thursday for Miller's murder. He has no chance for parole. "People have no good reason to look like police officers," Cohen said. "I'm directing my anger at changing things." Cohen is looking to raise funds in the coming months so she can travel across the country, lobbying her ideas and speaking to anyone who will listen to her cause. There currently is talk of putting together a music benefit and golf tournament in Miller's name, Cohen said. "We're going to try to raise money so we can send me places," she said. Cohen has written to Rep. Bob McCluskey, R-Fort Collins. He introduced House Bill 1304 that would increase the penalty of impersonating a peace officer from a class 2 misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine up to $1,000, to a class 1 misdemeanor. That would increase the punishment to up to 18 months in jail and a fine up to $5,000. But Cohen thinks it should be a felony. The bill has passed both houses of the General Assembly and is moving to Gov. Bill Owens for his signature. Cohen has written to him, too. "They're never going to hear the end of me," she said. "I'd call the president, but he's a bit busy." Clausen also posed as an officer Jan. 5 when he pulled over off-duty police dispatcher Theresa Clancy. When she began to question his affiliation, Clausen fled. Cohen is looking into "blue light laws," which make it illegal for civilians to possess police-type lights. Her daughter's best friends — Andrea Rutherford, Angela Langer and Amanda Huddleston — are right by Cohen's side in her endeavors. "We're going to help Wendy change the laws," Rutherford said after Clausen's sentencing. Originally published April 5, 2003

Sarah Langbein