28.2-106 - Virginia Marine Police; law-enforcement responsibilities; qualifications; oath. - Virginia Statutes

§ 28.2-106. Virginia Marine Police; law-enforcement responsibilities;qualifications; oath.

A. The law-enforcement division of the Commission shall be designated as theVirginia Marine Police. It shall exercise such powers and duties as theGeneral Assembly may confer upon it by law and as provided in regulationsadopted pursuant to law, including but not limited to:

1. Patrolling the tidal waters and shoreline of the Chesapeake Bay, its tidaltributaries, and territorial sea;

2. Enforcing marine fishery and habitat conservation laws and regulations;

3. Enforcing health laws pertaining to the harvesting of seafood fromcondemned areas;

4. Enforcing or assisting other agencies in enforcing laws pertaining to theremoval of obstructions and abandoned vessels from the water, to boatingoperation and navigation, and to larceny on the water;

5. Providing for water-borne safety;

6. Conducting search and rescue activities; and

7. Protecting from terrorist attack federal and state water-relatedinstallations and other water-related locations within the tidal waters ofthe Commonwealth as may be designated by federal or state officials asimportant to national security.

B. Officers of the Virginia Marine Police shall have the same powers as (i)sheriffs and other law-enforcement officers to enforce all of the criminallaws of the Commonwealth, and (ii) regular conservation police officersappointed pursuant to Chapter 2 (§ 29.1-200 et seq.) of Title 29.1.

C. A person shall be (i) at least twenty-one years old and (ii) a high schoolgraduate or equivalent to qualify for appointment as an officer.

D. Each officer shall qualify before the clerk of the circuit court of thecounty or city in which he resides, or in which his district may be, bytaking the oaths prescribed by law.

(Code 1950, § 28-36; 1962, c. 406, §§ 28.1-41, 28.1-42; 1964, c. 115; 1972,c. 824; 1973, c. 19; 1990, c. 521, § 28.1-45.1; 1991, c. 338, § 28.1-45.2;1992, c. 836; 2001, c. 232; 2002, c. 789.)