Virginia Code 9.1-116: Exemptions of certain persons from certain training requirements.
The Director of the Department, with the approval of the Board, may exempt a chief of police or any law-enforcement officer or any courthouse and courtroom security officer, jail officer, dispatcher, process server, or custodial officer or corrections officer of the Commonwealth or any political subdivision who has demonstrated sensitivity to cultural diversity issues and had previous experience and training as a law-enforcement officer, courthouse and courtroom security officer, jail officer, dispatcher, process server or custodial officer or corrections officer with any law-enforcement or custodial agency, from the mandatory attendance of any or all courses which are required for the successful completion of the compulsory minimum training standards established by the Board.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 9.1-116
- Board: means the Criminal Justice Services Board. See Virginia Code 9.1-101
- Department: means the Department of Criminal Justice Services. See Virginia Code 9.1-101
- Law-enforcement officer: means any full-time or part-time employee of a police department or sheriff'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 private police department, and who is responsible for the prevention and detection of crime and the enforcement of the penal, traffic or highway laws 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 § 56-353; (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 § Virginia Code 9.1-101
- Process: includes subpoenas, the summons and complaint in a civil action, and process in statutory actions. See Virginia Code 1-237
The Director and Board shall exempt a law-enforcement officer who has demonstrated sensitivity to cultural diversity issues, had previous experience and training as a law-enforcement officer, is currently receiving or is eligible to receive a service retirement allowance in accordance with § 51.1-155, and has a break in service of no longer than 60 calendar months between retirement and such new employment as a law-enforcement officer from the mandatory attendance of all courses that are required for the successful completion of the compulsory minimum training standards established by the Board.
The exemption authorized by this section shall be available to all law-enforcement officers, courthouse and courtroom security officers, jail officer, dispatchers, process servers and custodial officers, and corrections officers, regardless of any officer’s date of initial employment, and shall entitle the officer when exempted from mandatory attendance to be deemed in compliance with the compulsory minimum training standards and eligible for the minimum salary established pursuant to Article 3 (§ 15.2-1609 et seq.) of Chapter 16 of Title 15.2, provided that the officer is otherwise qualified.
1981, c. 632, § 9-173; 1984, c. 515; 1988, c. 138; 2001, cc. 162, 844; 2022, c. 704.