HB1356: Mutual aid agreements; all sheriffs have authority to enter into.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 15.2-1736 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 15.2-1736. Mutual aid agreements among governing bodies of localities.
The governing bodies of localities, and state-supported
institutions of higher learning having a police force appointed pursuant to §
23-233, as well as sheriffs with law-enforcement authority within localities
without a police force, and the Director of the Department of
Conservation and Recreation with commissioned conservation officers, or any
combination thereof may, by proper resolutions, enter in and become a party to
contracts or mutual aid agreements for the use of their joint police or other law-enforcement forces, both regular and
auxiliary, their equipment and materials to maintain peace and good order.
However, no such state-supported institution of higher learning shall enter
into such agreement with another state-supported institution of higher education
in a noncontiguous locality without the consent of all localities within which
such institutions are located. Any police or other law-enforcement officer,
regular or auxiliary, while performing his duty under any such contract or
agreement, shall have the same authority in such locality as he has within the
locality where he was appointed.
In counties where no police department has been established, the sheriff may, in his discretion, enter into mutual aid agreements as provided by this section.