{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-50.2.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-50.2.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-50.2.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-50.2.html"}],"law_id":83160,"edition_id":1,"section_id":83160,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-50.2","catch_line":"Emergency control of telephone service in hostage or barricaded person situation","history":"1992, c. 479.","full_text":"A\n\nThe Superintendent of the State Police or the chief law-enforcement officer or sheriff of any county, city or town may designate one or more law-enforcement officers with appropriate technical training or expertise as a hostage and barricade communications specialist.B\n\nEach telephone company providing service to Virginia residents shall designate a department or one or more individuals to provide liaison with law-enforcement agencies for the purposes of this section and shall designate telephone numbers, not exceeding two, at which such law-enforcement liaison department or individual can be contacted.C\n\nThe supervising law-enforcement officer, who has jurisdiction in any situation in which there is probable cause to believe that the criminal enterprise of hostage holding is occurring or that a person has barricaded himself within a structure and poses an immediate threat to the life, safety or property of himself or others, may order a telephone company, or a hostage and barricade communications specialist to interrupt, reroute, divert, or otherwise control any telephone communications service involved in the hostage or barricade situation for the purpose of preventing telephone communication by a hostage holder or barricaded person with any person other than a law-enforcement officer or a person authorized by the officer.D\n\nA hostage and barricade communication specialist shall be ordered to act under subsection C only if the telephone company providing service in the area has been contacted and requested to act under subsection C or an attempt to contact has been made, using the telephone company’s designated liaison telephone numbers and:1\n\nThe officer’s attempt to contact after ten rings for each call is unsuccessful;2\n\nThe telephone company declines to respond to the officer’s request because of a threat of personal injury to its employees; or3\n\nThe telephone company indicates when contacted that it will be unable to respond appropriately to the officer’s request within a reasonable time from the receipt of the request.E\n\nThe supervising law-enforcement officer may give an order under subsection C only after that supervising law-enforcement officer has given or attempted to give written notification or oral notification of the hostage or barricade situation to the telephone company providing service to the area in which it is occurring. If an order is given on the basis of an oral notice, the oral notice shall be followed by a written confirmation of that notice within forty-eight hours of the order.F\n\nGood faith reliance on an order by a supervising law-enforcement officer who has the real or apparent authority to issue an order under this section shall constitute a complete defense to any action against a telephone company or a telephone company employee that rises out of attempts by the telephone company or the employees of the telephone company to comply with such an order.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":297985,"text":"The Superintendent of the State Police or the chief law-enforcement officer or sheriff of any county, city or town may designate one or more law-enforcement officers with appropriate technical training or expertise as a hostage and barricade communications specialist.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":297986,"text":"Each telephone company providing service to Virginia residents shall designate a department or one or more individuals to provide liaison with law-enforcement agencies for the purposes of this section and shall designate telephone numbers, not exceeding two, at which such law-enforcement liaison department or individual can be contacted.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":297987,"text":"The supervising law-enforcement officer, who has jurisdiction in any situation in which there is probable cause to believe that the criminal enterprise of hostage holding is occurring or that a person has barricaded himself within a structure and poses an immediate threat to the life, safety or property of himself or others, may order a telephone company, or a hostage and barricade communications specialist to interrupt, reroute, divert, or otherwise control any telephone communications service involved in the hostage or barricade situation for the purpose of preventing telephone communication by a hostage holder or barricaded person with any person other than a law-enforcement officer or a person authorized by the officer.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":297988,"text":"A hostage and barricade communication specialist shall be ordered to act under subsection C only if the telephone company providing service in the area has been contacted and requested to act under subsection C or an attempt to contact has been made, using the telephone company’s designated liaison telephone numbers and:","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"D1"},"4":{"id":297989,"text":"The officer’s attempt to contact after ten rings for each call is unsuccessful;","type":"section","prefixes":["D","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"D1","prefix_anchor":"D1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"D","next_prefix":"D2"},"5":{"id":297990,"text":"The telephone company declines to respond to the officer’s request because of a threat of personal injury to its employees; or","type":"section","prefixes":["D","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"D2","prefix_anchor":"D2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"D1","next_prefix":"D3"},"6":{"id":297991,"text":"The telephone company indicates when contacted that it will be unable to respond appropriately to the officer’s request within a reasonable time from the receipt of the request.","type":"section","prefixes":["D","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"D3","prefix_anchor":"D3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"D2","next_prefix":"E"},"7":{"id":297992,"text":"The supervising law-enforcement officer may give an order under subsection C only after that supervising law-enforcement officer has given or attempted to give written notification or oral notification of the hostage or barricade situation to the telephone company providing service to the area in which it is occurring. If an order is given on the basis of an oral notice, the oral notice shall be followed by a written confirmation of that notice within forty-eight hours of the order.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D3","next_prefix":"F"},"8":{"id":297993,"text":"Good faith reliance on an order by a supervising law-enforcement officer who has the real or apparent authority to issue an order under this section shall constitute a complete defense to any action against a telephone company or a telephone company employee that rises out of attempts by the telephone company or the employees of the telephone company to comply with such an order.","type":"section","prefixes":["F"],"prefix":"F","entire_prefix":"F","prefix_anchor":"F","level":1,"prior_prefix":"E"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15570,"edition_id":1,"name":"Kidnapping and Related Offenses","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13100,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:56:24","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:56:24","permalink":{"id":164925,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15570,"identifier":"3","token":"18.2\/4\/3","url":"\/18.2\/4\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13100,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes Against the Person","identifier":"4","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12972,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","permalink":{"id":164763,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13100,"identifier":"4","token":"18.2\/4","url":"\/18.2\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12972,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","permalink":{"id":164139,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12972,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":60862,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-47","catch_line":"Abduction and kidnapping defined; forced labor; punishment","url":"\/18.2-47\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-47","metadata":false},{"id":59389,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-48","catch_line":"Abduction with intent to extort money or for immoral purpose","url":"\/18.2-48\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-48","metadata":false},{"id":63979,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-48.1","catch_line":"Abduction by prisoners or committed persons; penalty","url":"\/18.2-48.1\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-48.1","metadata":false},{"id":64917,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-49","catch_line":"Threatening, attempting, or assisting in such abduction; penalty","url":"\/18.2-49\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-49","metadata":false},{"id":86277,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-49.1","catch_line":"Violation of court order regarding custody and visitation; penalty","url":"\/18.2-49.1\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-49.1","metadata":false},{"id":62919,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-50","catch_line":"Disclosure of information and assistance to law-enforcement officers required","url":"\/18.2-50\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-50","metadata":false},{"id":81175,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-50.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-50.1\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-50.1","metadata":false},{"id":83160,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-50.2","catch_line":"Emergency control of telephone service in hostage or barricaded person situation","url":"\/18.2-50.2\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-50.2","metadata":false},{"id":77889,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-50.3","catch_line":"Enticing, etc., another into a dwelling house with intent to commit certain felonies; penalty","url":"\/18.2-50.3\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-50.3","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":81175,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-50.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-50.1\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-50.1","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":77889,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-50.3","catch_line":"Enticing, etc., another into a dwelling house with intent to commit certain felonies; penalty","url":"\/18.2-50.3\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-50.3","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-50.2\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1992. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 479 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1992 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":164955,"object_type":"law","relational_id":83160,"identifier":"18.2-50.2","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-50.2","url":"\/18.2-50.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-50.2\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-50.2","dublin_core":{"Title":"Emergency control of telephone service in hostage or barricaded person situation","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-50.2","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The Superintendent of the State Police or the chief law<\/span>-enforcement officer or sheriff of any county, city or town may designate one or more law<\/span>-enforcement officers with appropriate technical training or expertise as a hostage and barricade communications specialist. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Each telephone company providing service to Virginia residents shall designate a department or one or more individuals to provide liaison with law<\/span>-enforcement agencies for the purposes of this section and shall designate telephone numbers, not exceeding two, at which such law<\/span>-enforcement liaison department or individual can be contacted. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The supervising law<\/span>-enforcement officer, who has jurisdiction<\/span> in any situation in which there is probable cause<\/span> to believe that the criminal enterprise of hostage holding is occurring or that a person has barricaded himself within a structure and poses an immediate threat to the life, safety or property of himself or others, may order<\/span> a telephone company, or a hostage and barricade communications specialist to interrupt, reroute, divert, or otherwise control any telephone communications service involved in the hostage or barricade situation for the purpose of preventing telephone communication by a hostage holder or barricaded person with any person other than a law<\/span>-enforcement officer or a person authorized by the officer. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> A hostage and barricade communication specialist shall be ordered to act under subsection C only if the telephone company providing service in the area has been contacted and requested to act under subsection C or an attempt to contact has been made, using the telephone company’s designated liaison telephone numbers and: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> The officer’s attempt to contact after ten rings for each call is unsuccessful; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> The telephone company declines to respond to the officer’s request because of a threat of personal injury to its employees; or <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> The telephone company indicates when contacted that it will be unable to respond appropriately to the officer’s request within a reasonable time from the receipt of the request. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> The supervising law<\/span>-enforcement officer may give an order<\/span> under subsection C only after that supervising law<\/span>-enforcement officer has given or attempted to give written notification or oral notification of the hostage or barricade situation to the telephone company providing service to the area in which it is occurring. If an order<\/span> is given on the basis of an oral notice, the oral notice shall be followed by a written confirmation of that notice within forty-eight hours of the order<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

F.<\/span> Good faith reliance on an order<\/span> by a supervising law<\/span>-enforcement officer who has the real or apparent authority to issue<\/span> an order<\/span> under this section shall constitute a complete defense to any action against a telephone company or a telephone company employee that rises out of attempts by the telephone company or the employees of the telephone company to comply with such an order<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nEMERGENCY CONTROL OF TELEPHONE SERVICE IN HOSTAGE OR BARRICADED PERSON SITUATION\n(\u00a7 18.2-50.2)\n\nA. The Superintendent of the State Police or the chief law-enforcement officer\nor sheriff of any county, city or town may designate one or more law-enforcement\nofficers with appropriate technical training or expertise as a hostage and\nbarricade communications specialist.\n\nB. Each telephone company providing service to Virginia residents shall\ndesignate a department or one or more individuals to provide liaison with\nlaw-enforcement agencies for the purposes of this section and shall designate\ntelephone numbers, not exceeding two, at which such law-enforcement liaison\ndepartment or individual can be contacted.\n\nC. The supervising law-enforcement officer, who has jurisdiction in any\nsituation in which there is probable cause to believe that the criminal\nenterprise of hostage holding is occurring or that a person has barricaded\nhimself within a structure and poses an immediate threat to the life, safety or\nproperty of himself or others, may order a telephone company, or a hostage and\nbarricade communications specialist to interrupt, reroute, divert, or otherwise\ncontrol any telephone communications service involved in the hostage or\nbarricade situation for the purpose of preventing telephone communication by a\nhostage holder or barricaded person with any person other than a law-enforcement\nofficer or a person authorized by the officer.\n\nD. A hostage and barricade communication specialist shall be ordered to act\nunder subsection C only if the telephone company providing service in the area\nhas been contacted and requested to act under subsection C or an attempt to\ncontact has been made, using the telephone company’s designated liaison\ntelephone numbers and:\n\n 1. The officer’s attempt to contact after ten rings for each call is\n unsuccessful;\n\n 2. The telephone company declines to respond to the officer’s request\n because of a threat of personal injury to its employees; or\n\n 3. The telephone company indicates when contacted that it will be unable to\n respond appropriately to the officer’s request within a reasonable time\n from the receipt of the request.\n\nE. The supervising law-enforcement officer may give an order under subsection C\nonly after that supervising law-enforcement officer has given or attempted to\ngive written notification or oral notification of the hostage or barricade\nsituation to the telephone company providing service to the area in which it is\noccurring. If an order is given on the basis of an oral notice, the oral notice\nshall be followed by a written confirmation of that notice within forty-eight\nhours of the order.\n\nF. Good faith reliance on an order by a supervising law-enforcement officer who\nhas the real or apparent authority to issue an order under this section shall\nconstitute a complete defense to any action against a telephone company or a\ntelephone company employee that rises out of attempts by the telephone company\nor the employees of the telephone company to comply with such an order.\n\nHISTORY: 1992, c. 479.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}