15.2-1726 - Agreements for consolidation of police departments or for cooperation in furnishing police services. - Virginia Statutes

§ 15.2-1726. Agreements for consolidation of police departments or forcooperation in furnishing police services.

Any locality may, in its discretion, enter into a reciprocal agreement withany other locality, any agency of the federal government exercising policepowers, police of any state-supported institution of higher learningappointed pursuant to § 23-233, Division of Capitol Police, or with anycombination of the foregoing, for such periods and under such conditions asthe contracting parties deem advisable, for cooperation in the furnishing ofpolice services. Such localities also may enter into an agreement for thecooperation in the furnishing of police services with the Department of StatePolice. The governing body of any locality also may, in its discretion, enterinto a reciprocal agreement with any other locality, or combination thereof,for the consolidation of police departments or divisions or departmentsthereof. Subject to the conditions of the agreement, all police officers,officers, agents and other employees of such consolidated or cooperatingpolice departments shall have the same powers, rights, benefits, privilegesand immunities in every jurisdiction subscribing to such agreement, includingthe authority to make arrests in every such jurisdiction subscribing to theagreement; however, no police officer of any locality shall have authority toenforce federal laws unless specifically empowered to do so by statute, andno federal law-enforcement officer shall have authority to enforce the lawsof the Commonwealth unless specifically empowered to do so by statute.

The governing body of a county also may enter into a tripartite contract withthe governing body of any town, one or more, in such county and the sherifffor such county for the purpose of having the sheriff furnish law-enforcementservices in the town. The contract shall be structured as a service contractand may have such other terms and conditions as the contracting parties deemadvisable. The sheriff and any deputy sheriff serving as a townlaw-enforcement officer shall have authority to enforce such town'sordinances. Likewise, subject to the conditions of the contract, the sheriffand deputy sheriffs while serving as a town's law-enforcement officers shallhave the same powers, rights, benefits, privileges and immunities as those ofregular town police officers. The sheriff under any such contract shall bethe town's chief of police.

(1970, c. 271, § 15.1-131.3; 1978, c. 9; 1984, c. 622; 1989, c. 294; 1994, c.268; 1997, c. 587; 2008, c. 437.)