CODE OF VIRGINIA

RECIPROCAL AGREEMENTS WITH LOCALITIES OUTSIDE THE COMMONWEALTH (§ 15.2-1727)

A locality or a state-supported or private institution of higher learning may,
in its discretion, enter into reciprocal agreements for such periods as it deems
advisable with any locality outside the Commonwealth, including the District of
Columbia, in order to establish and carry into effect a plan to provide mutual
aid through the furnishing of its police and other employees and agents,
together with all necessary equipment, in the event of such need or emergency as
provided herein. No state-supported or private institution of higher learning
shall enter into such agreement unless the agreement provides that each of the
parties to such agreement shall: (i) waive any and all claims against all the
other parties thereto which may arise out of their activities outside their
respective jurisdictions under such agreement and (ii) indemnify and save
harmless the other parties to such agreement from all claims by third parties
for property damage or personal injury which may arise out of the activities of
the other parties to such agreement outside their respective jurisdictions under
such agreement. Parties responding to a reciprocal agreement for mutual aid
between localities shall be liable to third parties only to the extent permitted
under and in accordance with the laws of the state of the party rendering
aid.The principal law-enforcement officer in any locality or of a
state-supported or private institution of higher learning having a reciprocal
agreement with a jurisdiction outside the Commonwealth for police mutual aid
under the provisions hereof shall be responsible for directing the activities of
all police officers and other officers and agents coming into his jurisdiction
under the reciprocal agreement. While operating under the terms of the
reciprocal agreement, the principal law-enforcement officer is empowered to
authorize all police officers and other officers and agents from outside the
Commonwealth to enforce the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia to the same
extent as if they were duly authorized law-enforcement officers of the locality
or a state-supported or private institution of higher learning in Virginia.The
governing body of any locality or a state-supported or private institution of
higher learning in the Commonwealth is authorized to procure or extend the
necessary public liability insurance to cover claims arising out of mutual aid
agreements executed with other localities outside the Commonwealth.The police
officers, and other officers, agents and employees of a locality or a
state-supported or private institution of higher learning serving in a
jurisdiction outside the Commonwealth under a reciprocal agreement entered into
pursuant hereto are authorized to carry out the duties and functions provided
for in the agreement under the command and supervision of the chief
law-enforcement officer of the jurisdiction outside the Commonwealth.In counties
where no police department has been established and the sheriff is the chief
law-enforcement officer, the sheriff may enter into mutual aid agreements and
furnish and receive such assistance as provided by this section. Sheriffs and
their deputies providing assistance pursuant to such a mutual aid agreement
shall enjoy all of the authority, immunities and benefits as provided herein for
police officers, including full police powers.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 15-552; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-131; 1968, c. 800; 1971,
Ex. Sess., c. 238; 1976, c. 457; 1977, c. 79; 1979, c. 503; 1984, c. 779; 1992,
c. 566; 1993, c. 860; 1995, c. 844; 1997, cc. 587, 638, 668; 2004, c. 769; 2007,
c. 724.