18.2-338 - Enforcement of § 18.2-331 by Governor and Attorney General. - Virginia Statutes

§ 18.2-338. Enforcement of § 18.2-331 by Governor and Attorney General.

If it shall come to the knowledge of the Governor that § 18.2-331 is notbeing enforced in any county, city or town, the Governor may call upon theAttorney General to direct its enforcement in such county, city or town, andthereupon the Attorney General may instruct the attorney for theCommonwealth, sheriff and chief of police, if any, of such county, or theattorney for the Commonwealth and chief of police of such city, or theattorney for the Commonwealth of the county in which such town is located andthe chief of police or sergeant of such town, to take such steps as may benecessary to insure the enforcement of such section in such county, city ortown, and if any such officers, after receiving such instructions, shallthereafter fail or refuse to exercise diligence in the enforcement of §18.2-331, the Attorney General shall make report thereof in writing to theGovernor and to the judge of the circuit court having jurisdiction over theacts thereby prohibited, and thereupon the Attorney General upon beingdirected so to do by the Governor, shall take such steps as he may deemproper in directing the institution and prosecution of criminal proceedings,to secure the enforcement of § 18.2-331.

(Code 1950, § 18.1-334; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.)