{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/19.2-201.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/19.2-201.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/19.2-201.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/19.2-201.html"}],"law_id":59094,"edition_id":1,"section_id":59094,"structure_id":14962,"section_number":"19.2-201","catch_line":"Officers to give information of violation of penal laws to attorney for Commonwealth","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 19.1-156; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495; 2020, Sp. Sess. I, c. 37.","full_text":"A\n\nAs used in this section, “chief law-enforcement officer” means the Superintendent of State Police; any chief of police or sheriff responsible for law enforcement in the jurisdiction served by him; the head of any private police department that has been designated as a criminal justice agency by the Department of Criminal Justice Services as defined by § 9.1-101; the chief of any campus police department established pursuant to §§ 23.1-809 and 23.1-810; the chief of the Lynchburg Regional Airport police department established pursuant to § 15.2-1123.1; or director or chief executive of any agency or department employing law-enforcement officers as defined in § 9.1-101.B\n\nEvery commissioner of the revenue, sheriff, constable or other officer shall promptly give information of the violation of any penal law to the attorney for the Commonwealth, who shall forthwith institute and prosecute all necessary and proper proceedings in such case, whether in the name of the Commonwealth or of a county or corporation, and may in such case issue or cause to be issued a summons for any witnesses he may deem material to give evidence before the court or grand jury. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no attorney for the Commonwealth shall go before any grand jury except when duly sworn to testify as a witness, but he may advise the foreman of a regular grand jury or any member or members thereof in relation to the discharge of their duties.C\n\nEvery chief law-enforcement officer shall provide to the attorney for the Commonwealth access to all records, including police reports, disciplinary records, and internal affairs investigations, relating to wrongful arrest or use of force complaints, or other complaints that a person has been deprived of the rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the laws of the United States and the Commonwealth made against a law-enforcement officer who is employed by the chief law-enforcement officer’s agency. Access shall be granted to the attorney for the Commonwealth to such records whenever a law-enforcement officer is a potential witness in a pending criminal matter or criminal investigation related to the performance of his duties as a law enforcement officer.\n\t\t\tThe chief law-enforcement officer may redact any statements made by a law-enforcement officer employed by his agency or department during an internal affairs investigation that may incriminate such law-enforcement officer or be otherwise used to prosecute such law-enforcement officer. Any redactions made by the chief law-enforcement officer may be challenged by the attorney for the Commonwealth in an ex parte hearing before a circuit court judge.\n\t\t\tAny information protected by the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act shall not be disclosed pursuant to this subsection.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":216729,"text":"As used in this section, “chief law-enforcement officer” means the Superintendent of State Police; any chief of police or sheriff responsible for law enforcement in the jurisdiction served by him; the head of any private police department that has been designated as a criminal justice agency by the Department of Criminal Justice Services as defined by § 9.1-101; the chief of any campus police department established pursuant to §§ 23.1-809 and 23.1-810; the chief of the Lynchburg Regional Airport police department established pursuant to § 15.2-1123.1; or director or chief executive of any agency or department employing law-enforcement officers as defined in § 9.1-101.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":216730,"text":"Every commissioner of the revenue, sheriff, constable or other officer shall promptly give information of the violation of any penal law to the attorney for the Commonwealth, who shall forthwith institute and prosecute all necessary and proper proceedings in such case, whether in the name of the Commonwealth or of a county or corporation, and may in such case issue or cause to be issued a summons for any witnesses he may deem material to give evidence before the court or grand jury. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no attorney for the Commonwealth shall go before any grand jury except when duly sworn to testify as a witness, but he may advise the foreman of a regular grand jury or any member or members thereof in relation to the discharge of their duties.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":216731,"text":"Every chief law-enforcement officer shall provide to the attorney for the Commonwealth access to all records, including police reports, disciplinary records, and internal affairs investigations, relating to wrongful arrest or use of force complaints, or other complaints that a person has been deprived of the rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the laws of the United States and the Commonwealth made against a law-enforcement officer who is employed by the chief law-enforcement officer’s agency. Access shall be granted to the attorney for the Commonwealth to such records whenever a law-enforcement officer is a potential witness in a pending criminal matter or criminal investigation related to the performance of his duties as a law enforcement officer.\n\t\t\tThe chief law-enforcement officer may redact any statements made by a law-enforcement officer employed by his agency or department during an internal affairs investigation that may incriminate such law-enforcement officer or be otherwise used to prosecute such law-enforcement officer. Any redactions made by the chief law-enforcement officer may be challenged by the attorney for the Commonwealth in an ex parte hearing before a circuit court judge.\n\t\t\tAny information protected by the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act shall not be disclosed pursuant to this subsection.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14962,"edition_id":1,"name":"Regular Grand Juries","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14961,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:51:07","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:51:07","permalink":{"id":168715,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14962,"identifier":"2","token":"19.2\/13\/2","url":"\/19.2\/13\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14961,"edition_id":1,"name":"Grand Juries","identifier":"13","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12801,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:51:07","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:51:07","permalink":{"id":168699,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14961,"identifier":"13","token":"19.2\/13","url":"\/19.2\/13\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12801,"edition_id":1,"name":"Criminal Procedure","identifier":"19.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":168169,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12801,"identifier":"19.2","token":"19.2","url":"\/19.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":67807,"structure_id":14962,"section_number":"19.2-193","catch_line":"Number of regular grand juries","url":"\/19.2-193\/","token":"19.2\/13\/2\/19.2-193","metadata":false},{"id":84278,"structure_id":14962,"section_number":"19.2-194","catch_line":"When and how grand jurors to be selected and summoned; lists to be delivered to clerk","url":"\/19.2-194\/","token":"19.2\/13\/2\/19.2-194","metadata":false},{"id":79985,"structure_id":14962,"section_number":"19.2-195","catch_line":"Number and qualifications of grand jurors","url":"\/19.2-195\/","token":"19.2\/13\/2\/19.2-195","metadata":false},{"id":57374,"structure_id":14962,"section_number":"19.2-196","catch_line":"How deficiency of jurors supplied","url":"\/19.2-196\/","token":"19.2\/13\/2\/19.2-196","metadata":false},{"id":62594,"structure_id":14962,"section_number":"19.2-197","catch_line":"Foreman of grand jury; oaths of jurors and witnesses","url":"\/19.2-197\/","token":"19.2\/13\/2\/19.2-197","metadata":false},{"id":57080,"structure_id":14962,"section_number":"19.2-198","catch_line":"When new foreman or juror may be sworn in","url":"\/19.2-198\/","token":"19.2\/13\/2\/19.2-198","metadata":false},{"id":69742,"structure_id":14962,"section_number":"19.2-199","catch_line":"Judge to charge grand jury","url":"\/19.2-199\/","token":"19.2\/13\/2\/19.2-199","metadata":false},{"id":65226,"structure_id":14962,"section_number":"19.2-200","catch_line":"Duties of grand jury","url":"\/19.2-200\/","token":"19.2\/13\/2\/19.2-200","metadata":false},{"id":59094,"structure_id":14962,"section_number":"19.2-201","catch_line":"Officers to give information of violation of penal laws to attorney for Commonwealth","url":"\/19.2-201\/","token":"19.2\/13\/2\/19.2-201","metadata":false},{"id":73260,"structure_id":14962,"section_number":"19.2-202","catch_line":"How indictments found and presentment made","url":"\/19.2-202\/","token":"19.2\/13\/2\/19.2-202","metadata":false},{"id":70795,"structure_id":14962,"section_number":"19.2-203","catch_line":"Indictments ignored may be sent to another grand jury; what irregularities not to vitiate indictment, etc","url":"\/19.2-203\/","token":"19.2\/13\/2\/19.2-203","metadata":false},{"id":77326,"structure_id":14962,"section_number":"19.2-204","catch_line":"Penalties on officers and jurors for failure of duty","url":"\/19.2-204\/","token":"19.2\/13\/2\/19.2-204","metadata":false},{"id":59742,"structure_id":14962,"section_number":"19.2-205","catch_line":"Pay and mileage of grand jurors","url":"\/19.2-205\/","token":"19.2\/13\/2\/19.2-205","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":65226,"structure_id":14962,"section_number":"19.2-200","catch_line":"Duties of grand jury","url":"\/19.2-200\/","token":"19.2\/13\/2\/19.2-200","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":73260,"structure_id":14962,"section_number":"19.2-202","catch_line":"How indictments found and presentment made","url":"\/19.2-202\/","token":"19.2\/13\/2\/19.2-202","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/19.2-201\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1960, chapter 366; in 1975, chapter 495.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":65104,"section_number":"15.2-1123.1","catch_line":"Lynchburg Regional Airport police department","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-1123.1\/"},{"id":60667,"section_number":"23.1-809","catch_line":"Public institutions of higher education; establishment of campus police departments authorized; employment of officers","order_by":null,"url":"\/23.1-809\/"},{"id":78479,"section_number":"23.1-810","catch_line":"Authorization for campus police departments in private institutions of higher education","order_by":null,"url":"\/23.1-810\/"},{"id":73488,"section_number":"9.1-101","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/9.1-101\/"}],"permalink":{"id":168749,"object_type":"law","relational_id":59094,"identifier":"19.2-201","token":"19.2\/13\/2\/19.2-201","url":"\/19.2-201\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/19.2-201\/","token":"19.2\/13\/2\/19.2-201","dublin_core":{"Title":"Officers to give information of violation of penal laws to attorney for Commonwealth","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 19.2-201","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> As used in this section, “chief law<\/span>-enforcement officer<\/span>” means the Superintendent of State Police; any chief of police or sheriff responsible for law<\/span> enforcement in the jurisdiction<\/span> served by him; the head of any private police department that has been designated as a criminal justice agency by the Department of Criminal Justice Services as defined by § 9.1-101<\/a>; the chief of any campus police department established pursuant to §§ 23.1-809<\/a> and 23.1-810<\/a>; the chief of the Lynchburg Regional Airport police department established pursuant to § 15.2-1123.1<\/a>; or director or chief executive of any agency or department employing law<\/span>-enforcement officers as defined in § 9.1-101<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Every commissioner of the revenue, sheriff, constable or other officer shall promptly give information of the violation of any penal law<\/span> to the attorney for the Commonwealth, who shall forthwith institute and prosecute<\/span> all necessary and proper proceedings in such case, whether in the name of the Commonwealth or of a county or corporation, and may in such case issue<\/span> or cause to be issued a summons<\/span> for any witnesses he may deem material<\/span> to give evidence<\/span> before the court<\/span> or grand jury<\/span>. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no attorney for the Commonwealth shall go before any grand jury<\/span> except when duly sworn to testify as a witness<\/span>, but he may advise the foreman<\/span> of a regular grand jury<\/span> or any member or members thereof in relation to the discharge of their duties. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Every chief law<\/span>-enforcement officer<\/span> shall provide to the attorney for the Commonwealth access to all records, including police reports, disciplinary records, and internal affairs investigations, relating to wrongful arrest<\/span> or use of force complaints, or other complaints that a person has been deprived of the rights, privileges<\/span>, or immunities secured or protected by the laws<\/span> of the United States and the Commonwealth made against a law<\/span>-enforcement officer who is employed by the chief law<\/span>-enforcement officer<\/span>’s agency. Access shall be granted to the attorney for the Commonwealth to such records whenever a law<\/span>-enforcement officer is a potential witness<\/span> in a pending criminal matter or criminal investigation related to the performance of his duties as a law<\/span> enforcement officer.\n\t\t\tThe chief law<\/span>-enforcement officer<\/span> may redact any statements made by a law<\/span>-enforcement officer employed by his agency or department during an internal affairs investigation that may incriminate<\/span> such law<\/span>-enforcement officer or be otherwise used to prosecute<\/span> such law<\/span>-enforcement officer. Any redactions made by the chief law<\/span>-enforcement officer<\/span> may be challenged by the attorney for the Commonwealth in an ex parte<\/span> hearing<\/span> before a circuit<\/span> court<\/span> judge<\/span>.\n\t\t\tAny information protected by the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act shall not be disclosed pursuant to this subsection. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nOFFICERS TO GIVE INFORMATION OF VIOLATION OF PENAL LAWS TO ATTORNEY FOR\nCOMMONWEALTH (\u00a7 19.2-201)\n\nA. As used in this section, “chief law-enforcement officer” means\nthe Superintendent of State Police; any chief of police or sheriff responsible\nfor law enforcement in the jurisdiction served by him; the head of any private\npolice department that has been designated as a criminal justice agency by the\nDepartment of Criminal Justice Services as defined by § 9.1-101; the chief\nof any campus police department established pursuant to §§ 23.1-809\nand 23.1-810; the chief of the Lynchburg Regional Airport police department\nestablished pursuant to § 15.2-1123.1; or director or chief executive of\nany agency or department employing law-enforcement officers as defined in §\n9.1-101.\n\nB. Every commissioner of the revenue, sheriff, constable or other officer shall\npromptly give information of the violation of any penal law to the attorney for\nthe Commonwealth, who shall forthwith institute and prosecute all necessary and\nproper proceedings in such case, whether in the name of the Commonwealth or of a\ncounty or corporation, and may in such case issue or cause to be issued a\nsummons for any witnesses he may deem material to give evidence before the court\nor grand jury. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no attorney for the\nCommonwealth shall go before any grand jury except when duly sworn to testify as\na witness, but he may advise the foreman of a regular grand jury or any member\nor members thereof in relation to the discharge of their duties.\n\nC. Every chief law-enforcement officer shall provide to the attorney for the\nCommonwealth access to all records, including police reports, disciplinary\nrecords, and internal affairs investigations, relating to wrongful arrest or use\nof force complaints, or other complaints that a person has been deprived of the\nrights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the laws of the United\nStates and the Commonwealth made against a law-enforcement officer who is\nemployed by the chief law-enforcement officer’s agency. Access shall be\ngranted to the attorney for the Commonwealth to such records whenever a\nlaw-enforcement officer is a potential witness in a pending criminal matter or\ncriminal investigation related to the performance of his duties as a law\nenforcement officer.\n\t\t\tThe chief law-enforcement officer may redact any statements made by a\nlaw-enforcement officer employed by his agency or department during an internal\naffairs investigation that may incriminate such law-enforcement officer or be\notherwise used to prosecute such law-enforcement officer. Any redactions made by\nthe chief law-enforcement officer may be challenged by the attorney for the\nCommonwealth in an ex parte hearing before a circuit court judge.\n\t\t\tAny information protected by the federal Health Insurance Portability and\nAccountability Act shall not be disclosed pursuant to this subsection.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 19.1-156; 1960, c. 366; 1975, c. 495; 2020, Sp. Sess. I,\nc. 37.","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}}