Bill Text: VA HB342 | 2022 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Police, Virginia State; removes obsolete language relating to the teletype system formerly used.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2022-04-01 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0049) [HB342 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2022-HB342-Chaptered.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§52-12 through 52-20 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§52-12. Establishment of State Police communication system.
There shall be established in the Department of State Police,
a basic coordinating fully integrated police communication system
of private line typewriter communication, operating through sending and
receiving stations or receiving stations only, and such associated equipment as
may be necessary, at the headquarters of the Superintendent of State Police and
at such substations or detached posts as shall be designated by the
Superintendent, for the purpose of prompt collection and distribution of
information throughout the Commonwealth as the police problems of the
Commonwealth may require. Authority is hereby granted to connect such basic
communication system directly or indirectly with similar systems in this or
adjoining states.
§52-13. Installation, operation, and maintenance of system; personnel.
The Superintendent of State Police is authorized to install,
operate, and maintain the basic communication system and
to employ the necessary personnel for its installation, operation, and
maintenance. The persons so employed may be members of the State Police, or
other State state employees, particularly qualified for the duty
they are to perform.
§52-14. Availability of system.
The basic communication system herein
provided for in this chapter may be made available for use by any
department or division of the State state government and by any
county, city, town, railroad, or other special police department
lawfully maintained by any corporation in this the Commonwealth
as well as agencies of the federal government, subject to the following terms
and conditions:
1. Application for permission to connect with the basic
communication system shall be made to the Superintendent of State Police on
forms to be provided by him;
2. Such application may be approved by the Superintendent if, as, and when in his discretion such connection is requisite and necessary for the best interests of the entire system;
3. Upon approval of such application and before the applicant
shall be connected with the basic communication system, such
applicant must agree to assume and pay all rentals for sending and receiving
stations, or receiving stations only, as may be authorized by the
Superintendent for installation within the jurisdiction of the applicant, and
any and all costs of installation and operation of such stations; and
4. a. The Commonwealth shall pay all rental for necessary wire
or circuit mileage required to connect such stations operated by criminal
justice agencies of the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions, or the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, with the basic communication system.;
and
b. All other agencies shall agree, as a condition of
connection or continued service, to assume and pay all rental for necessary
wire or circuit mileage required to connect such stations with the basic
communication system.
§52-15. Control of system; orders, rules, or regulations.
Such basic The communication system shall remain
at all times under the physical and operational control of the
Superintendent of State Police, and such control may be exercised by him
through such member of his department the Department of State Police
as he shall designate for such purpose.
The Superintendent may make and issue such orders, rules,
or regulations for the use of the system as in his discretion are
necessary for efficient operation.
§52-16. Governor may establish and maintain joint communication system to aid police.
The Governor may in his discretion establish, purchase,
lease, or otherwise acquire all necessary property, real and personal,
for such the purpose of establishing and maintaining a joint
state and local police communication system, and cause to be
constructed, equipped, maintained, and operated, at such place or places
as he may determine, a radio or teletype communication system
or any combination of the two for transmitting and receiving messages
and data, in connection with the work of the police departments of, and
officers exercising police powers in, the cities, towns, and counties of
Virginia the Commonwealth and the work of the police officers of the
Department of State Police, relating to the detection of crime and,
the apprehension of criminals, emergency management and response,
information relating to criminal activity, and other necessary police
activities.
§52-17. Contracts with counties, cities, and towns.
In order to make the communication system effective and
of greatest benefit to the people of the Commonwealth, the Governor may in
his discretion enter into negotiations with and make contracts and
agreements with the cities, counties, cities, and towns of
the Commonwealth whereby portions of the cost of establishing, purchasing,
constructing, maintaining, and operating such system will be borne by
such localities.
In making agreements with the several localities, due consideration shall be given to the population thereof and to any expense incurred, or which may be incurred, by such localities in purchasing, constructing, maintaining, and operating local systems for similar purposes.
§52-18. Districts.
The Governor may in his discretion divide the
Commonwealth into two or more radio or teletype communication system
districts or combination of the two, and, in the event of the
proper proportionate monetary cooperation upon the part of localities within
any one or more of such districts, may arrange for the establishment, purchase,
installation, maintenance, and operation of such radio or teletype
communication system equipment or both within such district or
districts.
§52-19. Rules and regulations.
The Governor may cause to be made and issued such
make and issue reasonable rules and regulations as he may deem necessary
for the proper use of such communication system.
§52-20. Arrests without warrants in certain cases.
A. For the purposes of this section, "electronic communication" means the use of technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities to transmit or receive information.
B. Members of the State Police force of the
Commonwealth, provided such officers are in uniform, or displaying a
badge of office, may, at the scene of any motor vehicle accident, or in
the apprehension of any person charged with the theft of any motor vehicle,
on any of the highways of the Commonwealth, upon reasonable grounds to believe,
based upon personal investigation, including information obtained from
eyewitnesses, that a crime has been committed by any person then and there
present, apprehend such person without a warrant of arrest; and such.
Such officers may arrest, without a warrant, persons duly
charged with crime in another jurisdiction upon receipt of a telegram, a
radio or teletype message, in which telegram, radio or teletype message shall
be given an electronic communication containing the name or a
reasonably accurate description of such person wanted, and the
crime alleged and an allegation that such person is likely to flee the
jurisdiction of the Commonwealth.
