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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>79940</law_id><section_number>52-20</section_number><catch_line>Arrests without warrants in certain cases</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>52-22</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="52">Police (State)</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="4">Arrests by State Police</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> For the purposes of this section, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">electronic communication</span>&#x201D; means the use of technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities to transmit or receive information. <a id="paragraph-286308" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/52-20/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Members of the State Police force of the Commonwealth, provided such officers are in uniform or displaying a badge of office, may, at the scene of any motor vehicle accident or in the apprehension of any person charged with the theft of any motor vehicle on any of the highways 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>. Such officers may arrest without a warrant persons duly charged with <span class="dictionary">crime</span> in another <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> upon receipt of an <span class="dictionary">electronic communication</span> containing the name or a reasonably accurate description of such person wanted and the <span class="dictionary">crime</span> alleged. <a id="paragraph-286309" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/52-20/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1942, p. 481; Michie Code 1942, &#xA7; 4827a; 1950, p. 888; 2022, c. 49.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
