CHAPTER 166

An Act to amend and reenact § 61 of Chapter 157 of the Acts of Assembly
of 1908, approved March 10, 1908, which provided a charter for the
city of Portsmouth, the amended section relating to the police force
of the city, the duties of policemen of the city, and the power of the
city council to provide additional compensation or equivalent vacation
or time off to such policemen serving as witnesses in certain cases
when not on regular period of duty.

[fH 302]

Approved March 3, 1960

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 61 of Chapter 157 of the Acts of Assembly of 1908, approved
March 10, 1908, be amended and reenacted as follows:

_ § 61. The officers and privates constituting the police force of the
city shall be, and they are hereby, invested with all the power and author-
ity which now belong to the office of constable at common law in taking
cognizance of, and in enforcing the criminal laws of the Commonwealth,
and the ordinances and regulations of the city; and it shall be the duty
of each and everyone of such policemen to use his best endeavors to
prevent the commission, within the city, of offenses against the laws of the
Commonwealth and against the ordinances and regulations of the city;
and to observe and enforce all such laws, ordinances, and regulations; to
detect and arrest offenders against the same; to preserve the good order of
the city, and to secure the inhabitants thereof from violence and the prop-
erty therein from injury. Such policeman shall have no power or authority
in civil matters, but he shall in all other cases execute such warrant or
summons as may be placed in his hands by any justice of the peace for the
city, and shall make due return thereof. Such policeman shall not receive
any fee or other compensation out of the treasury of the Commonwealth
or the city for any service rendered under the provisions of this act other
than the salary paid him by the city; * provided, however, that for serv-
ing as a witness when not on a regular assigned period of duty in any case
arising under the criminal laws of the Commonwealth, or under the ordi-
nances or regulations of the city, such policeman may receive therefor in
addition to his regular salary such compensation, or in lieu of such com-
pensation, an increase equivalent thereto in vacation or time off from his
regular period of duty, as shall be determined by the city council. If, how-
ever, it shall become necessary or expedient for him to travel beyond the
limits of the city in his capacity as a policeman or as a witness, he shall
be entitled to his actual expenses, to be allowed and paid as is now pro-
vided by law for other expenses in criminal cases. Nothing in this act
shall be construed as prohibiting a policeman from claiming and receiving
any reward which may be offered for the arrest and detention of any
offender against the criminal laws of this or any other Commonwealth
or nation.