CHAPTER 36

AN ACT to provide for a special police force in certain counties;
to prescribe the manner of their appointment and removal;
to provide for their compensation; and to define their
powers and duties.

[ H 36 ]

Approved February 21, 1950

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. § 1. In any county which has a population of more than
thirty-five thousand inhabitants and which adjoins two cities
having a population of not less than fifty thousand each, the
Sheriff of the county shall appoint a special police force for so
much of the county as is not embraced within an incorporated
town located therein. Such police force shall consist of one or
more suitable and discreet persons who shall serve as such for
such length of time as the sheriff may designate or until others
are appointed in their place, but not exceeding one year under
any one appointment. Such police force shall include all inves-
tigative or law enforcement officers employed by the county
in any office or department of the county government. The sher-
iff may, subject to the approval of the governing body of the
county, allow compensation to the members of such police force
not less than two hundred nor more than three hundred dollars
a month which, together with any expenses incurred in the
execution of their duties, including the cost of such radio
equipped police cars as the sheriff deems are necessary, shall be
paid out of the county levy.

The sheriff may, at any time, remove any or all of such
police, and appoint others, and may fill any vacancy that may
occur in the police force, or may add to the number theretofore
appointed.

§ 3. The removal from the county in which he was ap-
pointed, shall vacate the office of any person so appointed, or he
may resign or decline appointment; and thereupon the vacancy
shall be filled by the sheriff. |

§ 4. Before entering upon the duties of his office each
person so appointed shall give bond in the penalty of five hun-
dred dollars, with approved security, before the clerk of the
circuit court of the county, with condition faithfully to discharge
his official duties.

§ 5. The jurisdiction and authority of such police shall
extend no further than the limits of the county in which they
are appointed, and a copy of the order of appointment made by
the sheriff, attested by the clerk of such court, shall in all cases
be received as evidence of their official character.

§ 6. The members of the special police force of such
county shall be conservators of the peace therein and are hereby
invested with all the power and authority which formerly be-
longed to the office of constable at common law in taking cog-
nizance of and enforcing the criminal laws of the Common-
wealth and the ordinances of the county. Each and every such
policeman shall use his best endeavors to prevent the commis-
sion in the county of offenses against the laws of the Common-
wealth and against any ordinance of the county; shall observe
and enforce all such laws and ordinances; shall detect and arrest
offenders against the same; shall preserve the good order of
the county and secure the inhabitants thereof from violence and
the property therein from injury. Such policemen shall have
no power or authority in civil matters but shall in all other
cases execute such warrants or summons as may be placed in
their hands by any justice of the county and make return there-
of. Such policemen may execute any such warrant issued under
the provisions of Chapter 3 of Title 19 of the Code of 1950 and
shall have all the powers conferred upon and perform all the
duties required of police officers under such Chapter.

2. An emergency exists and this act is in force from its

passage.