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1997 SESSION

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CHAPTER 739 An Act to amend and reenact § 15.1-887 of the Code of Virginia, relating to powers and jurisdiction of certain law-enforcement officers. [H 2697] Approved March 22, 1997

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 15.1-887 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 15.1-887. Police jurisdiction over lands, buildings and structures; jurisdiction of offenses; appeals; jurisdiction in certain public buildings with magistrate's offices.

A. Lands, buildings or structures used for any purpose defined in this article shall be under the police jurisdiction of the municipal corporation for the enforcement of its regulations respecting the use or occupancy thereof. All regular and special police officers of the municipal corporation shall have jurisdiction to make arrests on such land and in such buildings or structures for violations of such regulations. The municipal court having criminal jurisdiction in the municipal corporation shall have jurisdiction in all cases arising thereunder within the municipal corporation, and the county court of the county wherein the offense was committed shall have jurisdiction of such cases arising without the municipal corporation. Appeals may be taken in such cases to the court of record having jurisdiction.

B. In any public building that is located in a county with a population between 56,000 and 57,000 adjoining a municipal corporation and that contains a magistrate's office which serves the municipal corporation, the sheriff, any deputy sheriff, and any police officer of the municipal corporation shall have the same powers which such sheriff, deputy sheriff or police officer would have in the municipal corporation itself. The courts of the municipal corporation and the locality in which such public building is located shall have concurrent jurisdiction of any offense committed against or any escape from any such sheriff, deputy sheriff, or police officer in such public building, provided that the sheriff, deputy sheriff, or police officer was present in the public building while in the performance of his official duties. Such police powers and concurrent jurisdiction shall also apply during travel between the municipal corporation and the public building by such sheriff, deputy sheriffs, and police officers while in the performance of their official duties. For purposes of this subsection, a "public building" shall include the surrounding grounds of such building.