<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>73488</law_id><section_number>9.1-101</section_number><catch_line>(Effective July 1, 2026) Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>15.2-1705</reference><reference>15.2-1706</reference><reference>15.2-1709</reference><reference>15.2-1721.1</reference><reference>15.2-632</reference><reference>15.2-836.1</reference><reference>15.2-915</reference><reference>16.1-264</reference><reference>18.2-152.5:1</reference><reference>18.2-186.4</reference><reference>18.2-186.4:1</reference><reference>18.2-251.03</reference><reference>18.2-283.2</reference><reference>18.2-307.1</reference><reference>18.2-308.2:2</reference><reference>18.2-31</reference><reference>18.2-433.1</reference><reference>18.2-461.1</reference><reference>18.2-474.2</reference><reference>18.2-57</reference><reference>18.2-60.3</reference><reference>18.2-64.2</reference><reference>19.2-11.02</reference><reference>19.2-12</reference><reference>19.2-123</reference><reference>19.2-13</reference><reference>19.2-134.1</reference><reference>19.2-152.4:2</reference><reference>19.2-201</reference><reference>19.2-299</reference><reference>19.2-301</reference><reference>19.2-310.5</reference><reference>19.2-387.3</reference><reference>19.2-388</reference><reference>19.2-389</reference><reference>19.2-389.1</reference><reference>19.2-389.3</reference><reference>19.2-391</reference><reference>19.2-56.2</reference><reference>19.2-59.1</reference><reference>19.2-73.2</reference><reference>2.2-1178</reference><reference>2.2-3701</reference><reference>2.2-511.1</reference><reference>2.2-5515</reference><reference>2.2-5516</reference><reference>2.2-5517</reference><reference>2.2-610</reference><reference>22.1-266</reference><reference>22.1-280.2:1</reference><reference>22.1-280.2:3</reference><reference>22.1-79.3:1</reference><reference>24.2-418</reference><reference>3.2-1010</reference><reference>3.2-6013</reference><reference>3.2-6504.1</reference><reference>3.2-6555</reference><reference>38.2-1905</reference><reference>4.1-1302</reference><reference>40.1-27.4</reference><reference>46.2-1219.2</reference><reference>46.2-208</reference><reference>46.2-223.1</reference><reference>46.2-341.20:7</reference><reference>46.2-373.1</reference><reference>46.2-600.1</reference><reference>51.1-155</reference><reference>51.1-212</reference><reference>52-28.2</reference><reference>52-33</reference><reference>54.1-3408</reference><reference>63.2-526</reference><reference>64.2-2003</reference><reference>65.2-402.1</reference><reference>8.01-225</reference><reference>8.01-293</reference><reference>8.01-40.3</reference><reference>9.1-1000</reference><reference>9.1-110</reference><reference>9.1-1101</reference><reference>9.1-126</reference><reference>9.1-138</reference><reference>9.1-140</reference><reference>9.1-150.1</reference><reference>9.1-1500</reference><reference>9.1-1502</reference><reference>9.1-177.1</reference><reference>9.1-184</reference><reference>9.1-187</reference><reference>9.1-193</reference><reference>9.1-400</reference><reference>9.1-500</reference><reference>9.1-601</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="9.1">Commonwealth Public Safety</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="1">Department of Criminal Justice Services</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this chapter or in Chapter 23 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Exchange to operate as a division of Department of State Police; authority of Superintendent of State Police" href="/19.2-387/">19.2-387</a> et seq.) of Title 19.2, unless the context requires a different meaning:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Administration of criminal justice</span>&#x201D; means performance of any activity directly involving the detection, apprehension, detention, pretrial release, post-<span class="dictionary">trial</span> release, <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span>, adjudication, correctional supervision, or rehabilitation of <span class="dictionary">accused</span> persons or criminal offenders or the collection, storage, and <span class="dictionary">dissemination</span> of <span class="dictionary">criminal history record information</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Board</span>&#x201D; means the Criminal Justice Services <span class="dictionary">Board</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Conviction data</span>&#x201D; means information in the <span class="dictionary">custody</span> of any <span class="dictionary">criminal justice agency</span> relating to a <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> of conviction, and the consequences arising therefrom, in any <span class="dictionary">court</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Correctional status information</span>&#x201D; means records and data concerning each condition of a convicted person&#x2019;s custodial status, including <span class="dictionary">probation</span>, confinement, work release, study release, escape, or termination of <span class="dictionary">custody</span> through expiration of sentence, <span class="dictionary">parole</span>, <span class="dictionary">pardon</span>, or <span class="dictionary">court</span> decision.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Criminal history record information</span>&#x201D; means records and data collected by criminal justice agencies on adult individuals consisting of identifiable descriptions and notations of <span class="dictionary">arrests</span>, detentions, <span class="dictionary">indictments</span>, informations, or other formal charges, and any <span class="dictionary">disposition</span> arising therefrom. The term shall not include juvenile record information which is controlled by Chapter 11 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Short title" href="/16.1-226/">16.1-226</a> et seq.) of Title 16.1, criminal justice intelligence information, criminal justice investigative information, or <span class="dictionary">correctional status information</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Criminal justice agency</span>&#x201D; means (i) a <span class="dictionary">court</span> or any other governmental agency or subunit thereof which as its principal function performs the <span class="dictionary">administration of criminal justice</span> and any other agency or subunit thereof which performs criminal justice activities, but only to the extent that it does so; (ii) for the purposes of Chapter 23 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Exchange to operate as a division of Department of State Police; authority of Superintendent of State Police" href="/19.2-387/">19.2-387</a> et seq.) of Title 19.2, any private corporation or agency which, within the context of its criminal justice activities, employs special conservators of the peace appointed under Chapter 2 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Who are conservators of the peace" href="/19.2-12/">19.2-12</a> et seq.) of Title 19.2, provided that (a) such private corporation or agency requires its officers or special conservators to meet compulsory training standards established by the Criminal Justice Services <span class="dictionary">Board</span> and submits reports of compliance with the training standards and (b) the private corporation or agency complies with the provisions of Article 3 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Application and construction of article" href="/9.1-126/">9.1-126</a> et seq.), but only to the extent that the private corporation or agency so designated as a <span class="dictionary">criminal justice agency</span> performs criminal justice activities; and (iii) the Office of the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span>, for all criminal justice activities otherwise permitted under clause (i) and for the purpose of performing duties required by the Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators Act (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/37.2-900/">37.2-900</a> et seq.).
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Criminal justice agency</span>&#x201D; includes any program certified by the Commission on VASAP pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Commission on VASAP; purpose; membership; terms; meetings; staffing; compensation and expenses; chairman's executive summary" href="/18.2-271.2/">18.2-271.2</a>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Criminal justice agency</span>&#x201D; includes the Department of Criminal Justice Services.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Criminal justice agency</span>&#x201D; includes the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Criminal justice agency</span>&#x201D; includes the Virginia State <span class="dictionary">Crime</span> Commission.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Criminal justice information system</span>&#x201D; means a system including the equipment, facilities, procedures, agreements, and organizations thereof, for the collection, processing, preservation, or <span class="dictionary">dissemination</span> of <span class="dictionary">criminal history record information</span>. The operations of the system may be performed manually or by using electronic computers or other automated data processing equipment.
		&#x201C;Department&#x201D; means the Department of Criminal Justice Services.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Dissemination</span>&#x201D; means any transfer of information, whether orally, in writing, or by electronic means. The term shall not include access to the information by officers or employees of a <span class="dictionary">criminal justice agency</span> maintaining the information who have both a need and right to know the information.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Law-enforcement officer</span>&#x201D; means any full-time or part-time employee of a police department or sheriff&#x2019;s office which is a part of or administered by the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof, or any full-time or part-time employee of a <span class="dictionary">private police department</span>, and who is responsible for the prevention and detection of <span class="dictionary">crime</span> and the enforcement of the penal, traffic or highway <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of the Commonwealth, and shall include any (i) special agent of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority; (ii) police agent appointed under the provisions of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Railroad company may appoint police agents" href="/56-353/">56-353</a>; (iii) officer of the Virginia Marine Police; (iv) conservation police officer who is a full-time sworn member of the enforcement division of the Department of Wildlife Resources; (v) investigator who is a sworn member of the security division of the Virginia Lottery; (vi) conservation officer of the Department of Conservation and Recreation commissioned pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Appointment of conservation officers; qualifications; oath" href="/10.1-115/">10.1-115</a>; (vii) full-time sworn member of the enforcement division of the Department of Motor Vehicles appointed pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Enforcement of laws by Commissioner; authority of officers" href="/46.2-217/">46.2-217</a>; (viii) animal protection police officer employed under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Department of public safety" href="/15.2-632/">15.2-632</a> or <a class="law" title="Animal protection police officer" href="/15.2-836.1/">15.2-836.1</a>; (ix) campus police officer appointed under Article 3 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<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; (x) member of the investigations unit designated by the State Inspector General pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Enforcement of laws by the State Inspector General or investigators; police power of the Office of State Inspector General; training" href="/2.2-311/">2.2-311</a> to investigate <span class="dictionary">allegations</span> of criminal behavior affecting the operations of a state or nonstate agency; (xi) employee with internal investigations authority designated by the Department of Corrections pursuant to subdivision 11 of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Powers and duties of Director" href="/53.1-10/">53.1-10</a> or by the Department of Juvenile Justice pursuant to subdivision A 7 of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Powers of the Director" href="/66-3/">66-3</a>; (xii) <span class="dictionary">private police officer</span> employed by a <span class="dictionary">private police department</span>; or (xiii) person designated as a sworn unit investigator by the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> pursuant to subsection A of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Powers and duties of sworn unit investigators" href="/32.1-320.1/">32.1-320.1</a>. Part-time employees are those compensated officers who are not full-time employees as defined by the employing police department, sheriff&#x2019;s office, or <span class="dictionary">private police department</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Private police department</span>&#x201D; means any police department, other than a department that employs police agents under the provisions of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Railroad company may appoint police agents" href="/56-353/">56-353</a>, that employs <span class="dictionary">private police officers</span> operated by an entity authorized by <span class="dictionary">statute</span> or an act of assembly to establish a <span class="dictionary">private police department</span> or such entity&#x2019;s successor in interest, provided it complies with the requirements set forth herein. No entity is authorized to operate a <span class="dictionary">private police department</span> or represent that it is a <span class="dictionary">private police department</span> unless such entity has been authorized by <span class="dictionary">statute</span> or an act of assembly or such entity is the successor in interest of an entity that has been authorized pursuant to this section, provided it complies with the requirements set forth herein. The authority of a <span class="dictionary">private police department</span> shall be limited to real property owned, leased, or controlled by the entity and, if approved by the local chief of police or sheriff, any contiguous property; such authority shall not supersede the authority, duties, or <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> vested by law with the local police department or sheriff&#x2019;s office including as provided in &#xA7;&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Sheriff" href="/15.2-1609/">15.2-1609</a> and <a class="law" title="Powers and duties of police force" href="/15.2-1704/">15.2-1704</a>. The chief of police or sheriff who is the chief local <span class="dictionary">law-enforcement officer</span> shall enter into a <span class="dictionary">memorandum</span> of understanding with the <span class="dictionary">private police department</span> that addresses the duties and responsibilities of the <span class="dictionary">private police department</span> and the chief <span class="dictionary">law-enforcement officer</span> in the conduct of criminal investigations. <span class="dictionary">Private police departments</span> and <span class="dictionary">private police officers</span> shall be subject to and comply with the Constitution of the United States; the Constitution of Virginia; the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> governing municipal police departments, including the provisions of &#xA7;&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Civilian protection in cases of police misconduct; minimum standards" href="/9.1-600/">9.1-600</a>, <a class="law" title="Minimum qualifications; waiver" href="/15.2-1705/">15.2-1705</a> through <a class="law" title="Notice of decertification; decertification review process" href="/15.2-1708/">15.2-1708</a>, <a class="law" title="Disposal of unclaimed property in possession of sheriff or police" href="/15.2-1719/">15.2-1719</a>, <a class="law" title="Disposal of unclaimed firearms or other weapons in possession of sheriff or police" href="/15.2-1721/">15.2-1721</a>, <a class="law" title="Acquisition of military property by localities" href="/15.2-1721.1/">15.2-1721.1</a>, and <a class="law" title="Certain records to be kept by sheriffs and chiefs of police" href="/15.2-1722/">15.2-1722</a>; and any regulations adopted by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> that the Department designates as applicable to <span class="dictionary">private police departments</span>. An authorized <span class="dictionary">private police department</span> may use the word &#x201C;police&#x201D; to describe its sworn officers and may join a regional criminal justice academy created pursuant to Article 5 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Creation of academies" href="/15.2-1747/">15.2-1747</a> et seq.) of Chapter 17 of Title 15.2. Any <span class="dictionary">private police department</span> in existence on January 1, 2013, that was not otherwise established by <span class="dictionary">statute</span> or an act of assembly and whose status as a <span class="dictionary">private police department</span> was recognized by the Department at that time is hereby validated and may continue to operate as a <span class="dictionary">private police department</span> as may such entity&#x2019;s successor in interest, provided it complies with the requirements set forth herein.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Private police officer</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">law-enforcement officer</span> who is employed by a <span class="dictionary">private police department</span> that has entered into a <span class="dictionary">memorandum</span> of understanding with a police department or sheriff&#x2019;s office and who may exercise the power and duties conferred by law upon such police officers on real property owned, leased, or controlled by the employing entity and, if approved by the local chief of police or sheriff, any contiguous property. Any person employed as a <span class="dictionary">private police officer</span> pursuant to this section shall meet all requirements, including the minimum compulsory training requirements, for <span class="dictionary">law-enforcement officers</span> pursuant to this chapter. A <span class="dictionary">private police officer</span> is not entitled to benefits under the Virginia Retirement System, is not a &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">qualified law enforcement officer</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">qualified retired law enforcement officer</span>&#x201D; within the meaning of the federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, 18 U.S.C. &#xA7;&#xA0;926B et seq., and shall not be deemed an employee of the Commonwealth or any locality.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">School resource officer</span>&#x201D; means a certified <span class="dictionary">law-enforcement officer</span> hired by the local law-enforcement agency to provide law-enforcement and security services to Virginia public elementary and secondary schools.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">School security officer</span>&#x201D; means an individual who is employed by the local school <span class="dictionary">board</span> or a private or religious school for the singular purpose of maintaining <span class="dictionary">order</span> and discipline, preventing <span class="dictionary">crime</span>, investigating violations of the policies of the school <span class="dictionary">board</span> or the private or religious school, and detaining students violating the law or the policies of the school <span class="dictionary">board</span> or the private or religious school on school property, school buses, or at school-sponsored events and who is responsible solely for ensuring the safety, security, and welfare of all students, faculty, staff, and visitors in the assigned school.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Sealing</span>&#x201D; means to prohibit public access to records relating to an <span class="dictionary">arrest</span>, charge, or conviction, including any ancillary matter ordered to be <span class="dictionary">sealed</span>, in the <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of (i) the Central Criminal Records Exchange; (ii) any <span class="dictionary">court</span>; (iii) any police department, sheriff&#x2019;s office, or campus police department; or (iv) the Department of Motor Vehicles unless <span class="dictionary">dissemination</span> is authorized for one or more of the purposes set forth in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="(Effective July 1, 2026) Disposition of records when an offense is sealed; permitted uses of sealed records" href="/19.2-392.13/">19.2-392.13</a> and pursuant to the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="(Effective July 1, 2026) Dissemination of criminal history record information; Board to adopt regulations and procedures" href="/9.1-128/">9.1-128</a> and the procedures adopted pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="(Effective July 1, 2026) Sealing of criminal history record information" href="/9.1-134/">9.1-134</a>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Unapplied <span class="dictionary">criminal history record information</span></span>&#x201D; means information pertaining to criminal <span class="dictionary">offenses</span> submitted to the Central Criminal Records Exchange that cannot be applied to the criminal history record of an arrested or convicted person (i) because such information is not supported by fingerprints or other accepted means of positive identification or (ii) due to an inconsistency, error, or omission within the content of the submitted information.</p></section></text><history>1981, c. 632, &#xA7; 9-169; 1982, c. 419; 1983, c. 357; 1984, c. 543; 1989, c. 233; 1991, c. 338; 1992, cc. 422, 569; 1993, cc. 533, 622, 866; 2000, c. 426; 2001, c. 844; 2002, cc. 789, 836, 868; 2003, cc. 744, 934, 937; 2004, c. 30; 2005, c. 914; 2007, c. 87; 2008, c. 460; 2010, c. 621; 2012, c. 776; 2014, cc. 225, 342, 543; 2015, cc. 38, 195, 224, 730; 2016, cc. 498, 618; 2018, c. 548; 2019, cc. 120, 475, 782, 783; 2020, cc. 90, 958; 2020, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 37, 55; 2023, cc. 619, 619; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 524, 542; 2025, cc. 634, 671.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
