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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>65627</law_id><section_number>22.1-280.2:1</section_number><catch_line>Employment of school security officers</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>18.2-308.1</reference><reference>9.1-102</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="22.1">Education</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="14">Pupils</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Discipline</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Local <span class="dictionary">school boards</span> and private or religious schools may employ school security officers, as defined in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="(Effective July 1, 2026) Definitions" href="/9.1-101/">9.1-101</a>, for the purposes set forth therein. Such school security officer may carry a firearm in the performance of his duties if (i) within 10 years immediately prior to being hired by the local <span class="dictionary">school board</span> or private or religious school he (a) was an active <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer as defined in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="(Effective July 1, 2026) Definitions" href="/9.1-101/">9.1-101</a> in the Commonwealth or (b) was employed by a <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement agency of the United States or any state or political subdivision thereof and his duties were substantially similar to those of a <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer as defined in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="(Effective July 1, 2026) Definitions" href="/9.1-101/">9.1-101</a>; (ii) he retired or resigned from his position as a <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer in good standing; (iii) he meets the training and qualifications described in subsection C of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Retired law-enforcement officers; carrying a concealed handgun" href="/18.2-308.016/">18.2-308.016</a>; (iv) he has provided proof of completion of a training course that includes training in active shooter emergency response, emergency evacuation procedure, and threat assessment to the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Criminal Justice Services pursuant to subdivision 42 of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Powers and duties of the Board and the Department" href="/9.1-102/">9.1-102</a>, provided that if he received such training from a local <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement agency he received the training in the locality in which he is employed; (v) the local <span class="dictionary">school board</span> or private or religious school solicits input from the chief <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer of the locality regarding the qualifications of the school security officer and receives verification from such chief <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer that the school security officer is not prohibited by state or federal <span class="dictionary">law</span> from possessing, purchasing, or transporting a firearm; and (vi) the local <span class="dictionary">school board</span> or private or religious school grants him the authority to carry a firearm in the performance of his duties.</p></section></text><history>2002, cc. 836, 868; 2017, c. 311; 2019, cc. 120, 493.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
