                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR LAW-ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN THE
COMMONWEALTH (§ 9.1-1300)

The Virginia Department of State Police and the police and sheriff&#8217;s
departments of every political subdivision in the Commonwealth shall establish
an arrest policy and procedures for domestic violence and family abuse cases.
Any local police or sheriff&#8217;s department is authorized to adopt an arrest
policy that prescribes additional requirements under this section. Any policies
and procedures established under this section shall at a minimum provide
guidance to law-enforcement officers on the following:

1. The department&#8217;s arrest policy;

2. The standards for determining who is the predominant physical aggressor
pursuant to &#xA7; 19.2-81.3;

3. The standards for completion of a required incident report to be filed with
the department including the existence of any special circumstances which would
dictate a course of action other than arrest;

4. The department&#8217;s policy on providing transportation to an allegedly
abused person;

5. The legal and community resources available to allegedly abused persons in
the department&#8217;s jurisdiction;

6. The department&#8217;s policy on domestic violence incidents involving
law-enforcement officers; and

7. The department&#8217;s policy on the handling of cases involving repeat
offenders of family abuse or domestic violence.

HISTORY: 2008, cc. 600, 771.