{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/19.2-83.6.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/19.2-83.6.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/19.2-83.6.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/19.2-83.6.html"}],"law_id":64788,"edition_id":1,"section_id":64788,"structure_id":15870,"section_number":"19.2-83.6","catch_line":"Failure of a law-enforcement officer to intervene in use of excessive force","history":"2020, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 25, 37.","full_text":"A\n\nAny law-enforcement officer who, while in the performance of his official duties, witnesses another law-enforcement officer engaging or attempting to engage in the use of excessive force against another person shall intervene, when such intervention is feasible, to end the use of excessive force or attempted use of excessive force, or to prevent the further use of excessive force. A law-enforcement officer shall also render aid, as circumstances reasonably permit, to any person injured as the result of the use of excessive force.B\n\nAny law-enforcement officer who intervenes pursuant to subsection A or who witnesses another law-enforcement officer engaging or attempting to engage in the use of excessive force against another person shall report such intervention or use of excessive force in accordance with the law-enforcement officer’s employing agency’s policies and procedures for reporting misconduct committed by a law-enforcement officer. No employing agency shall retaliate, threaten to retaliate, or take or threaten to take any disciplinary action against a law-enforcement officer who intervenes pursuant to subsection A or makes a report pursuant to this subsection.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":235734,"text":"Any law-enforcement officer who, while in the performance of his official duties, witnesses another law-enforcement officer engaging or attempting to engage in the use of excessive force against another person shall intervene, when such intervention is feasible, to end the use of excessive force or attempted use of excessive force, or to prevent the further use of excessive force. A law-enforcement officer shall also render aid, as circumstances reasonably permit, to any person injured as the result of the use of excessive force.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":235735,"text":"Any law-enforcement officer who intervenes pursuant to subsection A or who witnesses another law-enforcement officer engaging or attempting to engage in the use of excessive force against another person shall report such intervention or use of excessive force in accordance with the law-enforcement officer’s employing agency’s policies and procedures for reporting misconduct committed by a law-enforcement officer. No employing agency shall retaliate, threaten to retaliate, or take or threaten to take any disciplinary action against a law-enforcement officer who intervenes pursuant to subsection A or makes a report pursuant to this subsection.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15870,"edition_id":1,"name":"Law-Enforcement Officer Conduct During an Arrest or Detention","identifier":"7.1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12801,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:00:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:00:55","permalink":{"id":171041,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15870,"identifier":"7.1","token":"19.2\/7.1","url":"\/19.2\/7.1\/","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":68275,"structure_id":15870,"section_number":"19.2-83.3","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/19.2-83.3\/","token":"19.2\/7.1\/19.2-83.3","metadata":false},{"id":71427,"structure_id":15870,"section_number":"19.2-83.4","catch_line":"Prohibited practices for law-enforcement officers during an arrest or detention","url":"\/19.2-83.4\/","token":"19.2\/7.1\/19.2-83.4","metadata":false},{"id":73000,"structure_id":15870,"section_number":"19.2-83.5","catch_line":"Use of deadly force by a law-enforcement officer during an arrest or detention","url":"\/19.2-83.5\/","token":"19.2\/7.1\/19.2-83.5","metadata":false},{"id":64788,"structure_id":15870,"section_number":"19.2-83.6","catch_line":"Failure of a law-enforcement officer to intervene in use of excessive force","url":"\/19.2-83.6\/","token":"19.2\/7.1\/19.2-83.6","metadata":false},{"id":61352,"structure_id":15870,"section_number":"19.2-83.7","catch_line":"Penalties for violations of this chapter","url":"\/19.2-83.7\/","token":"19.2\/7.1\/19.2-83.7","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":73000,"structure_id":15870,"section_number":"19.2-83.5","catch_line":"Use of deadly force by a law-enforcement officer during an arrest or detention","url":"\/19.2-83.5\/","token":"19.2\/7.1\/19.2-83.5","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":61352,"structure_id":15870,"section_number":"19.2-83.7","catch_line":"Penalties for violations of this chapter","url":"\/19.2-83.7\/","token":"19.2\/7.1\/19.2-83.7","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/19.2-83.6\/","history_text":false,"references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":171055,"object_type":"law","relational_id":64788,"identifier":"19.2-83.6","token":"19.2\/7.1\/19.2-83.6","url":"\/19.2-83.6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/19.2-83.6\/","token":"19.2\/7.1\/19.2-83.6","dublin_core":{"Title":"Failure of a law-enforcement officer to intervene in use of excessive force","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 19.2-83.6","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Any law<\/span>-enforcement officer who, while in the performance of his official duties, witnesses another law<\/span>-enforcement officer engaging or attempting to engage in the use of excessive force<\/span> against another person shall intervene, when such intervention is feasible, to end the use of excessive force<\/span> or attempted use of excessive force<\/span>, or to prevent the further use of excessive force<\/span>. A law<\/span>-enforcement officer shall also render aid, as circumstances reasonably permit, to any person injured as the result of the use of excessive force<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Any law<\/span>-enforcement officer who intervenes pursuant to subsection A or who witnesses another law<\/span>-enforcement officer engaging or attempting to engage in the use of excessive force<\/span> against another person shall report such intervention or use of excessive force<\/span> in accordance with the law<\/span>-enforcement officer’s employing agency’s policies and procedures for reporting misconduct committed by a law<\/span>-enforcement officer. No employing agency shall retaliate, threaten to retaliate, or take or threaten to take any disciplinary action against a law<\/span>-enforcement officer who intervenes pursuant to subsection A or makes a report pursuant to this subsection. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nFAILURE OF A LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TO INTERVENE IN USE OF EXCESSIVE FORCE (\u00a7\n19.2-83.6)\n\nA. Any law-enforcement officer who, while in the performance of his official\nduties, witnesses another law-enforcement officer engaging or attempting to\nengage in the use of excessive force against another person shall intervene,\nwhen such intervention is feasible, to end the use of excessive force or\nattempted use of excessive force, or to prevent the further use of excessive\nforce. A law-enforcement officer shall also render aid, as circumstances\nreasonably permit, to any person injured as the result of the use of excessive\nforce.\n\nB. Any law-enforcement officer who intervenes pursuant to subsection A or who\nwitnesses another law-enforcement officer engaging or attempting to engage in\nthe use of excessive force against another person shall report such intervention\nor use of excessive force in accordance with the law-enforcement officer’s\nemploying agency’s policies and procedures for reporting misconduct\ncommitted by a law-enforcement officer. No employing agency shall retaliate,\nthreaten to retaliate, or take or threaten to take any disciplinary action\nagainst a law-enforcement officer who intervenes pursuant to subsection A or\nmakes a report pursuant to this subsection.\n\nHISTORY: 2020, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 25, 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}}