15.2-1727 - Reciprocal agreements with localities outside the Commonwealth.
§ 15.2-1727. Reciprocal agreements with localities outside the Commonwealth.
A locality or a state-supported or private institution of higher learningmay, in its discretion, enter into reciprocal agreements for such periods asit deems advisable with any locality outside the Commonwealth, including theDistrict of Columbia, in order to establish and carry into effect a plan toprovide mutual aid through the furnishing of its police and other employeesand agents, together with all necessary equipment, in the event of such needor emergency as provided herein. No state-supported or private institution ofhigher learning shall enter into such agreement unless the agreement providesthat each of the parties to such agreement shall: (i) waive any and allclaims against all the other parties thereto which may arise out of theiractivities outside their respective jurisdictions under such agreement and(ii) indemnify and save harmless the other parties to such agreement from allclaims by third parties for property damage or personal injury which mayarise out of the activities of the other parties to such agreement outsidetheir respective jurisdictions under such agreement. Parties responding to areciprocal agreement for mutual aid between localities shall be liable tothird parties only to the extent permitted under and in accordance with thelaws of the state of the party rendering aid.
The principal law-enforcement officer in any locality or of a state-supportedor private institution of higher learning having a reciprocal agreement witha jurisdiction outside the Commonwealth for police mutual aid under theprovisions hereof shall be responsible for directing the activities of allpolice officers and other officers and agents coming into his jurisdictionunder the reciprocal agreement. While operating under the terms of thereciprocal agreement, the principal law-enforcement officer is empowered toauthorize all police officers and other officers and agents from outside theCommonwealth to enforce the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia to the sameextent as if they were duly authorized law-enforcement officers of thelocality or a state-supported or private institution of higher learning inVirginia.
The governing body of any locality or a state-supported or privateinstitution of higher learning in the Commonwealth is authorized to procureor extend the necessary public liability insurance to cover claims arisingout of mutual aid agreements executed with other localities outside theCommonwealth.
The police officers, and other officers, agents and employees of a localityor a state-supported or private institution of higher learning serving in ajurisdiction outside the Commonwealth under a reciprocal agreement enteredinto pursuant hereto are authorized to carry out the duties and functionsprovided for in the agreement under the command and supervision of the chieflaw-enforcement officer of the jurisdiction outside the Commonwealth.
In counties where no police department has been established and the sheriffis the chief law-enforcement officer, the sheriff may enter into mutual aidagreements and furnish and receive such assistance as provided by thissection. Sheriffs and their deputies providing assistance pursuant to such amutual aid agreement shall enjoy all of the authority, immunities andbenefits as provided herein for police officers, including full police powers.
(Code 1950, § 15-552; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-131; 1968, c. 800; 1971, Ex.Sess., c. 238; 1976, c. 457; 1977, c. 79; 1979, c. 503; 1984, c. 779; 1992,c. 566; 1993, c. 860; 1995, c. 844; 1997, cc. 587, 638, 668; 2004, c. 769;2007, c. 724.)