                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

RECIPROCAL AGREEMENTS WITH LOCALITIES OUTSIDE THE COMMONWEALTH (§ 15.2-1727)

A locality, public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth, or
private institution of higher education in the Commonwealth may, in its
discretion, enter into reciprocal agreements for such periods as it deems
advisable with any locality outside the Commonwealth, including the District of
Columbia, in order to establish and carry into effect a plan to provide mutual
aid through the furnishing of its police and other employees and agents,
together with all necessary equipment, in the event of such need or emergency as
provided herein. No public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth
or private institution of higher education in the Commonwealth shall enter into
such agreement unless the agreement provides that each of the parties to such
agreement shall: (i) waive any and all claims against all the other parties
thereto which may arise out of their activities outside their respective
jurisdictions under such agreement and (ii) indemnify and save harmless the
other parties to such agreement from all claims by third parties for property
damage or personal injury which may arise out of the activities of the other
parties to such agreement outside their respective jurisdictions under such
agreement. Parties responding to a reciprocal agreement for mutual aid between
localities shall be liable to third parties only to the extent permitted under
and in accordance with the laws of the state of the party rendering aid.
		The principal law-enforcement officer in any locality or of any public
institution of higher education in the Commonwealth or private institution of
higher education in the Commonwealth having a reciprocal agreement with a
jurisdiction outside the Commonwealth for police mutual aid under the provisions
hereof shall be responsible for directing the activities of all police officers
and other officers and agents coming into his jurisdiction under the reciprocal
agreement. While operating under the terms of the reciprocal agreement, the
principal law-enforcement officer is empowered to authorize all police officers
and other officers and agents from outside the Commonwealth to enforce the laws
of the Commonwealth to the same extent as if they were duly authorized
law-enforcement officers of the locality or a public institution of higher
education in the Commonwealth or private institution of higher education in the
Commonwealth.
		The governing body of any locality, public institution of higher education in
the Commonwealth, or private institution of higher education in the Commonwealth
is authorized to procure or extend the necessary public liability insurance to
cover claims arising out of mutual aid agreements executed with other localities
outside the Commonwealth.
		The police officers, and other officers, agents and employees of a locality,
public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth, or private
institution of higher education in the Commonwealth serving in a jurisdiction
outside the Commonwealth under a reciprocal agreement entered into pursuant
hereto are authorized to carry out the duties and functions provided for in the
agreement under the command and supervision of the chief law-enforcement officer
of the jurisdiction outside the Commonwealth.
		In counties where no police department has been established and the sheriff is
the chief law-enforcement officer, the sheriff may enter into mutual aid
agreements and furnish and receive such assistance as provided by this section.
Sheriffs and their deputies providing assistance pursuant to such a mutual aid
agreement shall enjoy all of the authority, immunities and benefits as provided
herein for police officers, including full police powers.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 15-552; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-131; 1968, c. 800; 1971,
Ex. Sess., c. 238; 1976, c. 457; 1977, c. 79; 1979, c. 503; 1984, c. 779; 1992,
c. 566; 1993, c. 860; 1995, c. 844; 1997, cc. 587, 638, 668; 2004, c. 769; 2007,
c. 724.