18.2-186.4:1 - Internet publication of personal information of law-enforcement officer. - Virginia Statutes

§ 18.2-186.4:1. Internet publication of personal information oflaw-enforcement officer.

A. The Commonwealth shall not publish on the Internet the personalinformation of any law-enforcement officer if a court has, pursuant tosubsection B, ordered that the officer's personal information is prohibitedfrom publication and the officer has made a demand in writing to theCommonwealth, accompanied by the order of the court, that the Commonwealthnot publish such information.

B. Any law-enforcement officer may petition a circuit court for an orderprohibiting the publication on the Internet, by the Commonwealth, of theofficer's personal information. The petition shall set forth the specificreasons that the officer seeks the order. The court shall hold a hearing onthe petition and shall issue such an order only if it finds that (i) thereexists a threat to the officer or a person who resides with him that wouldresult from publication of the information, or (ii) the officer hasdemonstrated a reasonable fear of a risk to his safety or the safety ofsomeone who resides with him that would result from publication of theinformation on the Internet.

C. If the Commonwealth publishes the law-enforcement officer's personalinformation on the Internet prior to receipt of a written demand by theofficer under subsection A, it shall remove the information from publicationon the Internet within 48 hours of receipt of the written demand.

D. A written demand made by an officer pursuant to this section shall beeffective for four years, if the officer remains continuously employed as alaw-enforcement officer throughout the four-year period.

E. For purposes of this section:

"Commonwealth" includes any agency or political subdivision of theCommonwealth of Virginia;

"Law-enforcement officer" shall have the same definition as set forth in §9.1-101;

"Personal information" means home address or any personal telephonenumbers; and

"Publication" and "publishes" means intentionally communicating personalinformation to, or otherwise making personal information available to, andaccessible by, the general public.

(2010, c. 767.)