General Provisions This is the 2025 edition of the code. There is not the current edition. Browse all editions.
This is Article 1 of the Code of Virginia, titled “General Provisions.” It is part of Chapter 17 “Police and Public Order”, which is part of Subtitle II “Powers of Local Government”, which is part of Title 15.2 “Counties, Cities and Towns”.
It’s comprised of the following 35 sections.
§ 15.2-1700 Preservation of peace and good order
§ 15.2-1701 Organization of police forces
§ 15.2-1702 Referendum required prior to establishment of county police force
§ 15.2-1703 Referendum to abolish county police force
§ 15.2-1704 Powers and duties of police force
§ 15.2-1705 Minimum qualifications; waiver
§ 15.2-1706 Certification through training required for all law-enforcement officers; waiver of requirements
§ 15.2-1707 Decertification of law-enforcement officers and jail officers
§ 15.2-1708 Notice of decertification; decertification review process
§ 15.2-1709 Employer immunity from liability; disclosure of information regarding former deputy sheriffs and law-enforcement officers
§ 15.2-1710 Fees and other compensation
§ 15.2-1710.1 Arrest or summons quota prohibited
§ 15.2-1711 Providing legal fees and expenses for law-enforcement officers; repayment to locality of two-thirds of amount by Compensation Board
§ 15.2-1712 Employment of off-duty officers
§ 15.2-1713 Localities authorized to offer and pay rewards in felony and misdemeanor cases
§ 15.2-1713.1 Local "Crime Stoppers" programs; confidentiality
§ 15.2-1714 Establishing police lines, perimeters, or barricades
§ 15.2-1715 Authority to declare Intensified Drug Enforcement Jurisdictions; expenditure of funds
§ 15.2-1716 Reimbursement of expenses incurred in responding to DUI and related incidents
§ 15.2-1716.1 Reimbursement of expenses incurred in responding to terrorism hoax incident, bomb threat, or malicious activation of fire alarm
§ 15.2-1716.2 Methamphetamine lab cleanup costs; localities may charge for reimbursement
§ 15.2-1717 Preventing interference with pupils at schools
§ 15.2-1717.1 Designation of police to enforce trespass violations
§ 15.2-1718 Receipt of missing child reports
§ 15.2-1718.1 Receipt of missing senior adult reports
§ 15.2-1718.2 Receipt of critically missing adult reports
§ 15.2-1719 Disposal of unclaimed property in possession of sheriff or police
§ 15.2-1720 Localities authorized to license bicycles, electric power-assisted bicycles, mopeds, and electric personal assistive mobility devices; disposition of unclaimed bicycles, electric power-assisted bicycles, mopeds, and electric personal assistive mobility devices
§ 15.2-1721 Disposal of unclaimed firearms or other weapons in possession of sheriff or police
§ 15.2-1721.1 Acquisition of military property by localities
§ 15.2-1722 Certain records to be kept by sheriffs and chiefs of police
§ 15.2-1722.1 Prohibited practices; collection of data
§ 15.2-1723 Validation of certain police forces
§ 15.2-1723.1 Body-worn camera system
§ 15.2-1723.2 (Effective July 1, 2026) Facial recognition technology; approval