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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>70840</law_id><section_number>53.1-29</section_number><catch_line>Authority for correctional officers and other employees to carry weapons</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>18.2-308</reference><reference>19.2-81.2</reference><reference>53.1-58</reference><reference>53.1-59</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="53.1">Prisons and Other Methods of Correction</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="2">State Correctional Facilities</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>It shall be lawful for any <span class="dictionary">correctional officer</span> and any noncustodial employee who has been designated by the <span class="dictionary">Director</span> of the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>, and who has completed the basic course in firearms for <span class="dictionary">correctional officers</span> as approved by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Criminal Justice Services, to carry and use sufficient weapons to prevent escapes, <span class="dictionary">suppress</span> rebellion, and defend or protect himself or others in the course of his assigned duties.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 53-39; 1970, c. 648; 1979, c. 642; 1982, c. 636; 1984, c. 720; 1996, cc. 804, 838.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
