Bill > SB1217

Introduced Session

Private police departments. Defines "private police department" as any police department that employs private police officers operated by an entity authorized by statute or an act of assembly to establish a private police department. The bill provides that the authority of a private police department is limited to real property owned, leased, or controlled by the entity and, if approved by the local chief of police or sheriff, any contiguous property. The bill also provides that private police departments and private police officers shall be subject to and comply with the relevant laws and regulations governing municipal police departments and shall meet the minimum compulsory training requirements for law-enforcement officers. The bill provides further that any private police department in existence on January 1, 2013, that was not otherwise established by statute or an act of assembly and whose status as a private police department was recognized by the Department of Criminal Justice Services at that time may continue to operate as a private police department. provided that it complies with the necessary requirements. The private police departments so recognized by the Department are the Aquia Harbor Police Department, the Babcock and Wilcox Police Department, the Bridgewater Airpark Police Department, the Carilion Police and Security Services Department, the Kings Dominion Park Police Department, the Kingsmill Police Department, the Lake Monticello Police Department, the Massanutten Police Department, and the Wintergreen Police Department. The bill contains an emergency clause. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia State Crime Commission.

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Thomas Norment (R)*,  Bryce Reeves (R),  Richard Stuart (R), 

Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0224) (on 03/16/2015)

Official Document