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2000 SESSION
005214820Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 19.2-72 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 19.2-72. When it may issue; what to recite and require.
On complaint of a criminal offense to any officer authorized to issue criminal
warrants he shall examine on oath the complainant and any other witnesses, or
when such officer shall suspect that an offense punishable otherwise than by a
fine has been committed he may, without formal complaint, issue a summons for
witnesses and shall examine such witnesses. If upon such examination such
officer finds that there is probable cause to believe the accused has committed
an offense, such officer shall issue a warrant for his arrest. The warrant
shall (i) be directed to an appropriate officer or officers, (ii) name the
accused or, if his name is unknown, set forth a description by which he can be
identified with reasonable certainty, (iii) describe the offense charged with
reasonable certainty, (iv) command that the accused be arrested and brought
before a court of appropriate jurisdiction in the county, city or town in which
the offense was allegedly committed, and (v) be signed by the issuing officer.
The warrant shall require the officer to whom it is directed to summon such
witnesses as shall be therein named to appear and give evidence on the
examination. But in a city or town having a police force, the warrant shall be
directed "To any policeman, sheriff or his deputy sheriff of such city (or
town)," and shall be executed by the policeman, sheriff or his deputy sheriff
into whose hands it shall come or be delivered. A sheriff or his deputy may
execute an arrest warrant throughout the county in which he serves and in any
city [ located within the county surrounded thereby ] .