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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>58622</law_id><section_number>52-11</section_number><catch_line>Defense of police officers</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="52">Police (State)</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="1">Department of State Police</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>If any police officer appointed by the Superintendent of State Police 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 Superintendent 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 which was the subject of the investigation and (ii) the officer will not be terminated from employment as the result of such act, the Superintendent shall pay 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 Department of State Police.</p></section></text><history>1938, p. 491; Michie Code 1942, &#xA7; 2154(54a); R. P. 1948, &#xA7; 52-11; 1958, c. 542; 1991, c. 631.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
