CHAPTER 413

An Act to amend and reenact § 15-291 of the Code of Virginia, relating to
the department of law enforcement of counties having a certain form
of government.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
tn That § 15-291 of the Code of Virginia be amended and reenacted, as
ollows:

§ 15-291. The department of law enforcement shall consist of an
attorney for the Commonwealth and a sheriff, together with their as-
sistants, deputies and employees, and such police as may be appointed
pursuant to this section and § 15-281.

The attorney for the Commonwealth shall exercise all the powers
conferred and perform all the duties imposed upon such officer by general
law and shall be accountable to the board of county supervisors in all
matters affecting the county and shall perform such duties, not inconsistent
with his office, as the board of county supervisors shall direct. He shall
be selected as provided in § 15-207.

The department of law enforcement may also include a county attorney
to be appointed annually by the board of supervisors and who shall serve
at an annual salary not to exceed six thousand dollars. In the event of the
appointment of such county attorney, the Commonwealth’s attorney shall
be relieved of the duties of advising the board of supervisors, of drafting or
preparing county ordinances and of defending or bringing civil actions in
which the county or any of its officials shall be a party, and all such duties
shall be performed by the county attorney and he shall be accountable to the
board of county supervisors 7n all such matters.

The sheriff shall exercise all the powers conferred and perform all
the duties imposed upon sheriffs by general law. He shall have the custody
of, and be charged with the duty of feeding and caring for, all prisoners
confined in the county jail. He shall perform such other duties as may be
imposed upon him by the board of county supervisors.

The county executive shall have supervision and control of the police
force of the county. Such police may be appointed pursuant to § 15-281,
and all police officers appointed by the board of supervisors, pursuant to
such section, including the chief of the department, shall be conservators
of the peace in the county and shall be charged with the enforcement of all
the criminal] laws throughout the confines of the county.