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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>60675</law_id><section_number>19.2-81</section_number><catch_line>Arrest without warrant authorized in certain cases</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>19.2-18</reference><reference>19.2-267.1</reference><reference>19.2-74</reference><reference>19.2-81.1</reference><reference>19.2-81.6</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="19.2">Criminal Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="7">Arrest</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The following officers shall have the powers of <span class="dictionary">arrest</span> as provided in this section: <a id="paragraph-221751" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-81/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Members of the State Police force of the Commonwealth; <a id="paragraph-221752" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-81/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Sheriffs of the various counties and cities, and their deputies; <a id="paragraph-221753" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-81/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Members of any county police force or any duly constituted police force of any city or town of the Commonwealth; <a id="paragraph-221754" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-81/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> The Commissioner, members and employees of the Marine Resources Commission granted the power of <span class="dictionary">arrest</span> pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Arrest with or without warrant; larceny; violations of boating laws and Title 62.1" href="/28.2-900/">28.2-900</a>; <a id="paragraph-221755" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-81/#A4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> Regular conservation police officers appointed pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Appointment of conservation police officers" href="/29.1-200/">29.1-200</a>; <a id="paragraph-221756" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-81/#A5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A6" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> United States Coast Guard and United States Coast Guard Reserve commissioned, warrant, and petty officers authorized under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Power to make arrests" href="/29.1-205/">29.1-205</a> to make <span class="dictionary">arrests</span>; <a id="paragraph-221757" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-81/#A6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A7" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">7.</span> Conservation officers appointed pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Appointment of conservation officers; qualifications; oath" href="/10.1-115/">10.1-115</a>; <a id="paragraph-221758" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-81/#A7"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A8" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">8.</span> Full-time sworn members of the enforcement division of the Department of Motor Vehicles appointed pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Enforcement of laws by Commissioner; authority of officers" href="/46.2-217/">46.2-217</a>; <a id="paragraph-221759" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-81/#A8"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A9" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">9.</span> Special agents of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority; <a id="paragraph-221760" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-81/#A9"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A10" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">10.</span> Campus police officers appointed under Article 3 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Public institutions of higher education; establishment of campus police departments authorized; employment of officers" href="/23.1-809/">23.1-809</a> et seq.) of Chapter 8 of Title 23.1; and <a id="paragraph-221761" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-81/#A10"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A11" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">11.</span> Members of the Division of Capitol Police. <a id="paragraph-221762" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-81/#A11"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Such officers may <span class="dictionary">arrest</span> without a warrant any person who commits any <span class="dictionary">crime</span> in the presence of the officer and any person whom he has reasonable grounds or <span class="dictionary">probable cause</span> to suspect of having committed a <span class="dictionary">felony</span> not in his presence.
			Such officers may <span class="dictionary">arrest</span> without a warrant any person whom the officer has <span class="dictionary">probable cause</span> to suspect of operating any watercraft or motorboat while (i) intoxicated in violation of subsection B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Operating boat or manipulating water skis, etc., in reckless manner or while intoxicated, etc" href="/29.1-738/">29.1-738</a> or a substantially similar <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> of any county, city, or town in the Commonwealth or (ii) in violation of an <span class="dictionary">order</span> issued pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Additional penalty for reckless or intoxicated operation of a watercraft or motorboat" href="/29.1-738.4/">29.1-738.4</a> and may thereafter transfer <span class="dictionary">custody</span> of the person arrested to another officer, who may obtain a warrant based upon statements made to him by the arresting officer. <a id="paragraph-221763" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-81/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Any such officer may, at <span class="dictionary">the scene of any accident</span> involving a motor vehicle, watercraft as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/29.1-733.2/">29.1-733.2</a> or motorboat, or at any hospital or medical facility to which any person involved in such accident has been transported, or in the apprehension of any person charged with the theft of any motor vehicle, on any of the highways or waters of the Commonwealth, upon reasonable grounds to believe, based upon personal investigation, including information obtained from eyewitnesses, that a <span class="dictionary">crime</span> has been committed by any person then and there present, apprehend such person without a <span class="dictionary">warrant of arrest</span>. For purposes of this section, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">the scene of any accident</span>&#x201D; shall include a reasonable location where a vehicle or person involved in an accident has been moved at the direction of a <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer to facilitate the clearing of the highway or to ensure the safety of the motoring public. <a id="paragraph-221764" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-81/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Such officers may, within three hours of the alleged <span class="dictionary">offense</span>, arrest without a warrant at any location any person whom the officer has <span class="dictionary">probable cause</span> to suspect of driving or operating a motor vehicle, watercraft or motorboat while intoxicated in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Driving motor vehicle, engine, etc., while intoxicated, etc" href="/18.2-266/">18.2-266</a>, <a class="law" title="Persons under age 21 driving after illegally consuming alcohol; penalty" href="/18.2-266.1/">18.2-266.1</a>, <a class="law" title="Driving a commercial motor vehicle while intoxicated, etc" href="/46.2-341.24/">46.2-341.24</a>, or subsection B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Operating boat or manipulating water skis, etc., in reckless manner or while intoxicated, etc" href="/29.1-738/">29.1-738</a>; or a substantially similar <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> of any county, city, or town in the Commonwealth, whether or not the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> was committed in such officer&#x2019;s presence. Such officers may, within three hours of the alleged <span class="dictionary">offense</span>, arrest without a warrant at any location any person whom the officer has <span class="dictionary">probable cause</span> to suspect of operating a watercraft or motorboat in violation of an <span class="dictionary">order</span> issued pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Additional penalty for reckless or intoxicated operation of a watercraft or motorboat" href="/29.1-738.4/">29.1-738.4</a>, whether or not the <span class="dictionary">offense</span> was committed in such officer&#x2019;s presence. <a id="paragraph-221765" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-81/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Such officers may arrest, without a warrant or a <span class="dictionary">capias</span>, persons duly charged with a <span class="dictionary">crime</span> in another <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> upon receipt of a photocopy of a warrant or a <span class="dictionary">capias</span>, telegram, computer printout, facsimile printout, a radio, telephone or teletype message, in which photocopy of a warrant, telegram, computer printout, facsimile printout, radio, telephone or teletype message shall be given the name or a reasonably accurate description of such person wanted and the <span class="dictionary">crime</span> alleged. <a id="paragraph-221766" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-81/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> Such officers may arrest, without a warrant or a <span class="dictionary">capias</span>, for an alleged <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span> not committed in his presence when the officer receives a radio message from his department or other <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement agency within the Commonwealth that a warrant or <span class="dictionary">capias</span> for such <span class="dictionary">offense</span> is on file. <a id="paragraph-221767" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-81/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="G"><p><span class="prefix-number">G.</span> Such officers may also arrest without a warrant for an alleged <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span> not committed in their presence involving (i) <span class="dictionary">shoplifting</span> in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Petit larceny defined; how punished" href="/18.2-96/">18.2-96</a> or <a class="law" title="Concealing or taking possession of merchandise; altering price tags; transferring goods from one container to another; counseling, etc., another in performance of such acts" href="/18.2-103/">18.2-103</a> or a similar local <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, (ii) carrying a weapon on school property in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Possession of firearm, stun weapon, or other weapon on school property prohibited; penalty" href="/18.2-308.1/">18.2-308.1</a>, (iii) <span class="dictionary">assault</span> and <span class="dictionary">battery</span>, (iv) brandishing a firearm in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Pointing, holding, or brandishing firearm, air or gas operated weapon or object similar in appearance; penalty" href="/18.2-282/">18.2-282</a>, or (v) destruction of property in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Injuring, etc., any property, monument, etc" href="/18.2-137/">18.2-137</a>, when such property is located on premises used for business or commercial purposes, or a similar local <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, when any such arrest is based on <span class="dictionary">probable cause</span> upon reasonable complaint of the person who observed the alleged <span class="dictionary">offense</span>. The arresting officer may <span class="dictionary">issue</span> a <span class="dictionary">summons</span> to any person arrested under this section for a <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span> violation involving <span class="dictionary">shoplifting</span>. <a id="paragraph-221768" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-81/#G"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 19.1-100; 1960, c. 366; 1974, c. 241; 1975, c. 495; 1976, cc. 515, 570; 1977, c. 97; 1979, c. 268; 1982, c. 272; 1983, c. 206; 1984, c. 534; 1985, c. 507; 1988, cc. 353, 744, 752, 853; 1989, c. 726; 1990, cc. 635, 744, 784; 1995, c. 465; 1996, cc. 866, 929, 1015; 1998, c. 684; 2004, c. 949; 2005, cc. 88, 435; 2008, cc. 460, 737; 2010, c. 840; 2011, cc. 510, 643; 2012, c. 776; 2013, c. 787; 2014, c. 543; 2015, cc. 38, 730; 2017, c. 208.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
