Bill Text: VA SB886 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Law-enforcement officers; psychological examination.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-11-30 - Left in Courts of Justice [SB886 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2019-SB886-Introduced.html
18104887D
SENATE BILL NO. 886
Offered January 18, 2018
A BILL to amend and reenact §15.2-1705 of the Code of Virginia, relating to qualifications of law-enforcement officers; psychological examination.
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Patron-- Carrico (By Request)
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Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §15.2-1705 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§15.2-1705. Minimum qualifications; waiver.

A. The chief of police and all police officers of any locality, all deputy sheriffs and jail officers in this Commonwealth, and all law-enforcement officers as defined in §9.1-101 who enter upon the duties of such office after July 1, 1994, are required to meet the following minimum qualifications for office. Such person shall (i) be a citizen of the United States, (ii) be required to undergo a background investigation including fingerprint-based criminal history records inquiries to both the Central Criminal Records Exchange and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, (iii) have a high school education or have passed a high school equivalency examination approved by the Board of Education, (iv) possess a valid driver's license if required by the duties of office to operate a motor vehicle, (v) subsequent to a conditional offer of employment, undergo a physical examination, subsequent to a conditional offer of employment, conducted under the supervision of a licensed physician and a psychological examination conducted by (a) a licensed physician and surgeon who has successfully completed a postgraduate medical residency education program in psychiatry accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and has at least the equivalent of five full-time years of experience in the diagnosis and treatment of emotional and mental disorders, including the equivalent of three full-time years accrued after completion of such psychiatric residency program working directly with law-enforcement personnel, or (b) a licensed psychologist who has completed an American Psychological Association accredited doctoral program and internship and who has at least the equivalent of five full-time years of experience in the diagnosis and treatment of emotional and mental disorders, including the equivalent of three full-time years accrued after completion of such doctoral program working directly with law-enforcement personnel, (vi) be at least eighteen 18 years of age, (vii) not have been convicted of or pled guilty or no contest to a felony or any offense that would be a felony if committed in the Commonwealth, and (viii) not have produced a positive result on a pre-employment drug screening, if such screening is required by the hiring law-enforcement agency or jail, where the positive result cannot be explained to the law-enforcement agency or jail administrator's satisfaction. In addition, all such officers who enter upon the duties of such office on or after July 1, 2013, shall not have been convicted of or pled guilty or no contest to (a) any misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, including but not limited to petit larceny under §18.2-96, or any offense involving moral turpitude that would be a misdemeanor if committed in the Commonwealth, (b) any misdemeanor sex offense in the Commonwealth, another state, or the United States, including but not limited to sexual battery under §18.2-67.4 or consensual sexual intercourse with a minor 15 or older under clause (ii) of § 18.2-371, or (c) domestic assault under §18.2-57.2 or any offense that would be domestic assault under the laws of another state or the United States.

B. Upon request of a sheriff or chief of police, or the director or chief executive of any agency or department employing law-enforcement officers as defined in §9.1-101, or jail officers as defined in §53.1-1, the Department of Criminal Justice Services is hereby authorized to waive the requirements for qualification as set out in subsection A of this section for good cause shown.

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