§ 15.2-1737. Circuit courts may appoint special police officers
A. The circuit court for any locality may, upon the application of, and a showing of a necessity for the security of property or the peace by, the sheriff or chief of police, appoint special police officers for a locality within its jurisdiction. Effective July 1, 2002, no person employed by a local school board as a school security officer, as defined in § 9.1-101, shall be eligible for appointment as a special police officer for purposes of maintaining safety in a public school in the Commonwealth.
The special police officers shall be suitable and discreet persons and shall serve as such for such length of time as the court may designate, but not exceeding four years under any one appointment. Such person or persons so appointed shall be conservators of the peace under the supervision of the person or agency making application for the appointment, who shall likewise be civilly liable for any wrongful action or conduct committed by the appointee while within the scope of his employment.
B. The court shall, prior to appointment, order the applicant to conduct a background investigation, in accordance with clause A (ii) of § 15.2-1705 of each prospective appointee who is not a law-enforcement officer as defined in § 9.1-101.
C. All appointments made pursuant to this section shall become void on September 15, 2004, and any officers so appointed shall no longer be eligible to serve.
(Code 1950, § 15-562; 1962, cc. 234, 623, § 15.1-144; 1976, c. 199; 1996, c. 850; 1997, c. 587; 2002, cc. 836, 868; 2003, c. 922.)
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