HB1356: Mutual aid agreements; all sheriffs have authority to enter into.

HOUSE BILL NO. 1356
Offered January 11, 2006
Prefiled January 11, 2006
A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-1736 of the Code of Virginia, relating to mutual aid agreements.
Patrons-- Bell and Landes

Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns

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.