Virginia Code 5.1-158: Police
A. The Commonwealth hereby grants, accepts and agrees to concurrent police power authority over the Metropolitan Washington Airports as provided in Section 6009 (c) of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Act of 1986.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 5.1-158
- Airport: means any area of land or water which is used, or intended for public use, for the landing and takeoff of aircraft, and any appurtenant areas that are used, or intended for use, for airport buildings or other airport facilities or rights-of-way, easements and together with all airport buildings and facilities located thereon. See Virginia Code 5.1-1
- Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
- Department: means the Department of Aviation. See Virginia Code 5.1-1
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Person: means any individual, corporation, government, political subdivision of the Commonwealth, or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, two or more of any of the foregoing having a joint or common interest, or any other legal or commercial entity. See Virginia Code 5.1-1
- State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245
- Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
- United States: includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-255
B. The Authority is authorized to establish and maintain a regular police force and to confer police powers to be exercised with respect to offenses occurring on the Authority Facilities upon its employees meeting the minimum requirements of the Department of Criminal Justice Services.
Such police officers shall have all powers vested in police officers under Chapter 17 of Title 15.2, Chapter 11 of Title 16.1, Title 18.2, Title 19.2, and Title 46.2 of the Code of Virginia as those titles may be amended from time to time and shall be responsible upon the Authority Facilities and within 300 yards of the Facilities for enforcing the laws of the Commonwealth, the Authority’s rules and regulations and all other applicable ordinances, rules, and regulations.
Such police officers may issue summons to appear, or arrest on view or on information without warrant as permitted by law, and conduct before any judicial officer of competent jurisdiction any person violating, upon Authority Facilities, any rule or regulation of the Authority, any ordinance or regulation of any local political subdivision, or any other law of the Commonwealth.
C. The Department of State Police shall exercise the same powers upon Authority Facilities as elsewhere in the Commonwealth.
D. The Authority may enter into reciprocal or mutual aid agreements with the local political subdivisions in the National Capital Region as defined in § 2674(f)(2) of title 10 of the United States Code, those counties with a border abutting that area, and any municipalities therein; any agency of the Commonwealth, the District of Columbia, the State of Maryland; the federal government; or any combination of the foregoing for cooperation in the furnishing of services during a public service event, an emergency, or planned training, including law-enforcement, fire, rescue, emergency health, and medical services, transportation, communications, public works and engineering, mass care, and resource support. When responding to a request under such an agreement, Authority employees may go outside Authority facilities, and the Authority and its employees shall enjoy the same immunities from liability as localities and their employees do in responding under similar circumstances.
E. The police force of Arlington County shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the police force established herein at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The Authority shall enter into an agreement with Arlington County regarding the exercise of police authority.
F. The sheriffs and police forces of Loudoun and Fairfax Counties shall continue to exercise concurrent jurisdiction with the police force established herein over the Authority Facilities situated within their respective counties.