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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>59904</law_id><section_number>10.1-119</section_number><catch_line>Defense of conservation officer of the Department prosecuted on criminal charges</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="10.1">Conservation</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="I">Activities Administered by the Department of Conservation and Recreation</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="4">Conservation Officers</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>If any conservation officer shall be brought before any regulatory body, summoned before any <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span>, investigated by any other <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement agency, or arrested or indicted or otherwise prosecuted on any charge arising out of any act committed in the discharge of his official duties, the <span class="dictionary">Director</span> may employ special <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> approved by the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> to defend such officer. Upon a <span class="dictionary">finding</span> that (i) the officer did not violate a <span class="dictionary">law</span> or regulation resulting from the act that was the subject of the investigation and (ii) the officer will not be terminated from employment as the result of such act, the <span class="dictionary">Director</span> shall arrange for payment for the special <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> employed. The compensation for special <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> employed pursuant to this section shall, subject to the approval of the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span>, be paid out of the funds appropriated for the administration of the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Conservation and Recreation or the Breaks Interstate Park Commission as may be applicable.</p></section></text><history>2007, c. 595; 2015, cc. 64, 489.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
