15.2-1703 - Referendum to abolish county police force.
§ 15.2-1703. Referendum to abolish county police force.
The police force in any county which established the force subsequent to July1, 1983, may be abolished and its responsibilities assumed by the sheriff'soffice after a referendum held pursuant to this section.
Either (i) the voters of the county by petition signed by not less than tenpercent of the registered voters therein on the January 1 preceding thefiling of the petition or (ii) the governing body of the county, byresolution, may petition the circuit court for the county that a referendumbe held on the question, "Shall the county police force be abolished and itsresponsibilities assumed by the county sheriff's office?" The court, byorder entered of record in accordance with Article 5 (§ 24.2-681 et seq.) ofChapter 6 of Title 24.2, shall require the regular election officials of thecounty at the next general election held in the county to open the polls andtake the sense of the voters on the question as herein provided. The clerk ofthe circuit court for the county shall publish notice of the election in anewspaper of general circulation in the county once a week for threeconsecutive weeks prior to the election.
The ballot shall be printed as follows:
"Shall the county police force be abolished and its responsibilities assumedby the county sheriff's office?
[] Yes
[] No"
The election shall be held and the results certified as provided in §24.2-684. If a majority of the voters voting in the election vote in favor ofthe question, the court shall enter an order proclaiming the results of theelection, and a duly certified copy of such order shall be transmitted to thegoverning body of the county. The governing body shall proceed with thenecessary action to abolish the police force and transfer itsresponsibilities to the sheriff's office, to become effective on July 1following the referendum.
Once a referendum has been held pursuant to this section, no furtherreferendum shall be held pursuant to this section within four yearsthereafter.
(1988, c. 660, § 15.1-131.6:2; 1997, c. 587.)