                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

LOCAL &#8220;CRIME STOPPERS&#8221; PROGRAMS; CONFIDENTIALITY (§ 15.2-1713.1)

A. As used in this section, a &#8220;Crime Stoppers,&#8221; &#8220;crime
solvers,&#8221; &#8220;crime line,&#8221; or other similarly named organization
is defined as a private, nonprofit Virginia corporation governed by a civilian
volunteer board of directors that is operated on a local or statewide level that
(i) offers anonymity to persons providing information to the organization, (ii)
accepts and expends donations for cash rewards to persons who report to the
organization information about alleged criminal activity and that the
organization forwards to the appropriate law-enforcement agency, and (iii) is
established as a cooperative alliance between the news media, the community, and
law-enforcement officials.

B. Evidence of a communication or any information contained therein between a
person submitting a report of an alleged criminal act to a &#8220;Crime
Stoppers&#8221; organization and the person who accepted the report on behalf of
the organization is not admissible in a court proceeding. Law-enforcement
agencies receiving information concerning alleged criminal activity from a
&#8220;Crime Stoppers&#8221; organization shall maintain confidentiality
pursuant to subsection C of &#xA7; 2.2-3706.

HISTORY: 2003, cc. 754, 760; 2013, c. 695; 2018, c. 48.