Chap. 324.—An ACT to amend the Code of Virginia by adding thereto a new section
numbered 4827-a, authorizing certain officers to make arrests without warrants
in certain cases and prescribing the procedure in such cases. [H B 77]

Approved March 31, 1942

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, That the
Code of Virginia be amended by adding thereto a new section, numbered
forty-eight hundred and twenty-seven-a, as follows:

Section 4827-a. Arrests without warrants in certain cases.—(a)
Members of the State police force of the Commonwealth, in uniform and
displaying a badge of office, may, at the scene, upon reasonable grounds,
based upon personal investigation, including statements of eye-witnesses,
to believe that a crime has been committed by a person then and there
present, apprehend such person without a warrant of arrest; and such
officers may apprehend without warrant, persons charged with crime,
upon receipt of a telegram or radio teletype message from an officer au-
thorized to make arrests, in which telegram or teletype shall be given the
name, or a reasonably accurate description, of the person wanted, the
crime charged, with an allegation that the person wanted is thought to be
fleeing or is likely to flee the jurisdiction of the courts of the State.

(b) Except in the case of a violation of a provision of chapter
three of the Motor Vehicle Code of Virginia, in. which case the officer
making the arrest shall proceed as provided in section one hundred and
twenty of the Motor Vehicle Code of Virginia, the officer making the
arrest shall forthwith bring the person so arrested before an officer au-
thorized to issue criminal warrants in the county or city where the arrest
is made. The officer before whom such person is brought shall proceed to
examine the officer making the arrest. If the officer before whom such
person is brought has reasonable grounds upon which to believe that a
criminal offense has been committed, and that the person arrested has
committed such offense, he shall issue such a warrant as might have been
issued prior to the arrest of such person under the provisions of section
forty-eight hundred and twenty-four of the Code of Virginia. If such a
warrant is issued the case shall thereafter be disposed of in like manner
as though the warrant had been issued prior to the arrest. If such a war-
rant be not issued the person so arrested shall be released.