There's enough of these hi-vis jackets being worn that there is no shortage of people the police could charge so this guy's opinion could be tested in a court. The fact that no-one has yet been prosecuted suggests his opinion isn't shared by those who actually work the streets.
His view certainly isn't shared by ACPO's Lead of Mounted Policing, Commander Robert Broadhurst from the Metropolitan Police, who stated:
“Provided there is no deliberate attempt to impersonate Police there is very little we can do other than perhaps ask them to ensure the word looks more like polite than police. Assuming they have no items of police uniform it is unlikely the public will mistake them for us, but if they do it will just be another High Visibility Patrol which should add to the reassurance picture.”
GC