A. On request of any employer owning more than 500 acres in this Commonwealth, the Director may appoint as special conservation police officers persons employed by the owner. No such special conservation police officer shall receive any compensation from the Commonwealth for his services as such. Any such special conservation police officer shall give the bond required by § 29.1-201 prior to serving. The powers and authority of such special conservation police officer shall not extend beyond the lands of his employer. The Director may require any special conservation police officer to perform duties on such lands as are required for the enforcement of this chapter.
B. On request of two or more adjoining landowners who own 1,000 or more contiguous acres in this Commonwealth, the Director may appoint as special conservation police officers persons employed by one or more of the landowners. No such special conservation police officer shall receive any compensation from the Commonwealth for his services as such. Any such special conservation police officer shall give the bond required by § 29.1-201 prior to serving. The powers and authority of such special conservation police officer shall not extend beyond the lands of the adjoining landowners requesting the appointment of the special conservation police officer. The Director may require any special conservation police officer to perform duties on such lands as are required for the enforcement of this chapter.
C. The Commonwealth and the Department shall not be liable in any manner for the acts or omissions of special conservation police officers appointed pursuant to this section occurring during the performance of their duties as special conservation police officers.
D. Each request for appointment of a special conservation police officer shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of $100 to defray the cost of processing the request.
1954, c. 700, § 29-37.1; 1987, c. 488; 1994, c. 411; 1997, c. 185; 2007, c. 87.
Structure Code of Virginia
Title 29.1 - Wildlife, Inland Fisheries and Boating
Chapter 2 - Conservation Police Officers
§ 29.1-200. Appointment of conservation police officers
§ 29.1-202. Ex officio conservation police officers
§ 29.1-203. Jurisdiction; power to serve process
§ 29.1-204. Assisting the Director; supervision
§ 29.1-205. Power to make arrests
§ 29.1-207. Impeding conservation police officer, etc., in discharge of his duty
§ 29.1-208. Searches and seizures
§ 29.1-209. Inspection of game and fish without arrest
§ 29.1-210. Person arrested may be committed to jail, bailed, recognized or summoned
§ 29.1-212. Precaution against fire
§ 29.1-213. Taking samples of water believed to be polluted
§ 29.1-214. Duties of State Water Control Board with respect to water samples
§ 29.1-217. Special conservation police officers receiving no compensation from Commonwealth
§ 29.1-218. Defense of conservation police officer prosecuted on criminal charge