§ 15.2-1744. Jurisdiction and authority of special police officers; evidence of their office
The jurisdiction and authority of special police shall extend no further than the limits of the locality in which they are appointed, and a copy of the order of appointment made by the court, attested by the clerk of such court, shall in all cases be received as evidence of their official character. But the authority of special police shall extend throughout the Commonwealth when actually in pursuit of persons accused of crime and when acting under authority of a duly executed warrant for the arrest of persons accused of committing crime.
The jurisdiction and authority of special police upon order entered of record by the circuit court for the locality may be limited to a specific place or places in a locality; may limit or prohibit the carrying of weapons by special police; and shall prescribe the type of uniform, badge, insignia or identification to be worn or carried by special police to the extent that the uniform, badge, insignia or identification shall not resemble or be in facsimile of the uniform, badge, insignia or identification of the State Police or that of any sheriff, or member of a police department in the locality or an adjoining locality. Any special police officer initially appointed on or after July 1, 1996, whose order of appointment does not prohibit the carrying of weapons while within the scope of his employment as such may be required by the court to meet the minimum entry training requirements established by the Department of Criminal Justice Services under § 9.1-102 for law-enforcement officers within twelve months of his appointment. Such order may provide that special police shall, within the limits of their jurisdiction, have the same authority and responsibility as deputy sheriffs with regard to the service of civil and criminal process.
However, the jurisdiction and authority of special police, upon an order entered of record by the circuit court for an adjoining locality, may be extended into such adjoining locality or into such part thereof as the order may designate, provided that the special circumstances necessitating such extension of jurisdiction and authority are set forth in the order.
(Code 1950, § 15-570; 1954, c. 400; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-152; 1964, c. 138; 1972, c. 218; 1976, c. 403; 1996, c. 850; 1997, c. 587.)
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