{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/52-1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/52-1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/52-1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/52-1.html"}],"law_id":367381,"edition_id":2,"section_id":367381,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-1","catch_line":"Establishment of Department headed by Superintendent; Bureau of Criminal Investigation and division of drug law enforcement and investigation within Department","history":"1942, p. 340; Michie Code 1942, \u00a7 585(71a); R. P. 1948, \u00a7 52-1; 1974, c. 483; 1980, c. 232; 2000, cc. 560, 600.","full_text":"There is hereby established as a separate department, a Department of State Police headed by the Superintendent of State Police. There shall be established within the Department of State Police, in addition to any other divisions or bureaus that may be established by statute or otherwise, a Bureau of Criminal Investigation and a division for drug law enforcement and investigation.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1367769,"text":"There is hereby established as a separate department, a Department of State Police headed by the Superintendent of State Police. There shall be established within the Department of State Police, in addition to any other divisions or bureaus that may be established by statute or otherwise, a Bureau of Criminal Investigation and a division for drug law enforcement and investigation.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":52358,"edition_id":2,"name":"Department of State Police","identifier":"1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":52357,"metadata":{"child_laws":35,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:57:57","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:34:41","permalink":{"id":1464131,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52358,"identifier":"1","token":"52\/1","url":"\/52\/1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52357,"edition_id":2,"name":"Police (State)","identifier":"52","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":114,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":105,"child_structures":21},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:57:57","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:34:41","permalink":{"id":1464129,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52357,"identifier":"52","token":"52","url":"\/52\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":367381,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-1","catch_line":"Establishment of Department headed by Superintendent; Bureau of Criminal Investigation and division of drug law enforcement and investigation within Department","url":"\/52-1\/","token":"52\/1\/52-1","metadata":false},{"id":367382,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-10","catch_line":"Fees and rewards","url":"\/52-10\/","token":"52\/1\/52-10","metadata":false},{"id":367389,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-11","catch_line":"Defense of police officers","url":"\/52-11\/","token":"52\/1\/52-11","metadata":false},{"id":367383,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-11.1","catch_line":"State Health Commissioner to cooperate","url":"\/52-11.1\/","token":"52\/1\/52-11.1","metadata":false},{"id":367384,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-11.2","catch_line":"Services of State Police in areas of counties that have merged, consolidated or been annexed into cities","url":"\/52-11.2\/","token":"52\/1\/52-11.2","metadata":false},{"id":367385,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-11.3","catch_line":"Acquisition of military property","url":"\/52-11.3\/","token":"52\/1\/52-11.3","metadata":false},{"id":367386,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-11.4","catch_line":"Disposal of unclaimed property in the possession of State Police; exemption from the Virginia Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act","url":"\/52-11.4\/","token":"52\/1\/52-11.4","metadata":false},{"id":367387,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-11.5","catch_line":"Disposal of unclaimed firearms or other weapons in possession of the State Police","url":"\/52-11.5\/","token":"52\/1\/52-11.5","metadata":false},{"id":367388,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-11.6","catch_line":"Arrest or summons quota prohibited","url":"\/52-11.6\/","token":"52\/1\/52-11.6","metadata":false},{"id":367398,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-2","catch_line":"Appointment of Superintendent and term of office","url":"\/52-2\/","token":"52\/1\/52-2","metadata":false},{"id":367412,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-3","catch_line":"Oath, bond, and salary of Superintendent","url":"\/52-3\/","token":"52\/1\/52-3","metadata":false},{"id":367452,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-4","catch_line":"Functions of Department","url":"\/52-4\/","token":"52\/1\/52-4","metadata":false},{"id":367447,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-4.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/52-4.1\/","token":"52\/1\/52-4.1","metadata":false},{"id":367448,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-4.2","catch_line":"Department of Motor Vehicles to publish statistical information, and conduct research and experiments; copies to be furnished by Department to Commonwealth's attorneys","url":"\/52-4.2\/","token":"52\/1\/52-4.2","metadata":false},{"id":367449,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-4.3","catch_line":"Drug Investigation Special Trust Account","url":"\/52-4.3\/","token":"52\/1\/52-4.3","metadata":false},{"id":367450,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-4.4","catch_line":"Duties relating to criminal history record information checks required by licensed firearms dealers","url":"\/52-4.4\/","token":"52\/1\/52-4.4","metadata":false},{"id":367451,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-4.5","catch_line":"(Effective until July 1, 2026) Facial recognition technology; authorized uses; Department to establish a State Police Model Facial Recognition Technology Policy; penalty","url":"\/52-4.5\/","token":"52\/1\/52-4.5","metadata":false},{"id":367463,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-5","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/52-5\/","token":"52\/1\/52-5","metadata":false},{"id":367470,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-6","catch_line":"Appointment of additional police officers","url":"\/52-6\/","token":"52\/1\/52-6","metadata":false},{"id":367469,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-6.1","catch_line":"Appointment of supervisory officers","url":"\/52-6.1\/","token":"52\/1\/52-6.1","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":367471,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-7","catch_line":"Bonds of police officers; liability insurance policies","url":"\/52-7\/","token":"52\/1\/52-7","metadata":false},{"id":367481,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-8","catch_line":"Powers and duties to enforce criminal laws and investigate aircraft accidents","url":"\/52-8\/","token":"52\/1\/52-8","metadata":false},{"id":367472,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-8.1","catch_line":"Powers and duties of Bureau of Criminal Investigation","url":"\/52-8.1\/","token":"52\/1\/52-8.1","metadata":false},{"id":367473,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-8.1:1","catch_line":"Powers and duties of a drug law enforcement and investigation division","url":"\/52-8.1_1\/","token":"52\/1\/52-8.1_1","metadata":false},{"id":367474,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-8.2","catch_line":"Certain investigations of elected officials; immunity for witnesses","url":"\/52-8.2\/","token":"52\/1\/52-8.2","metadata":false},{"id":367475,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-8.3","catch_line":"Disclosure of criminal investigative records and reports; penalty","url":"\/52-8.3\/","token":"52\/1\/52-8.3","metadata":false},{"id":367476,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-8.4","catch_line":"Powers and duties to promulgate regulations; inspection of certain records","url":"\/52-8.4\/","token":"52\/1\/52-8.4","metadata":false},{"id":367477,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-8.4:1","catch_line":"Regulations for firearms shows","url":"\/52-8.4_1\/","token":"52\/1\/52-8.4_1","metadata":false},{"id":367478,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-8.4:2","catch_line":"Certain offenses to be considered traffic infractions","url":"\/52-8.4_2\/","token":"52\/1\/52-8.4_2","metadata":false},{"id":367479,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-8.5","catch_line":"Reporting hate crimes","url":"\/52-8.5\/","token":"52\/1\/52-8.5","metadata":false},{"id":367480,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-8.6","catch_line":"Criminal street gang reporting","url":"\/52-8.6\/","token":"52\/1\/52-8.6","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":367485,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-9","catch_line":"Administration of oaths; acknowledgments and affidavits; summoning witnesses in certain cases","url":"\/52-9\/","token":"52\/1\/52-9","metadata":false},{"id":367482,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-9.1","catch_line":"Distinctive uniform to be adopted for State police officers","url":"\/52-9.1\/","token":"52\/1\/52-9.1","metadata":false},{"id":367483,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-9.1:1","catch_line":"Retired and former law-enforcement officers; retention of badge","url":"\/52-9.1_1\/","token":"52\/1\/52-9.1_1","metadata":false},{"id":367484,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-9.2","catch_line":"Wearing of same or similar uniforms by other persons","url":"\/52-9.2\/","token":"52\/1\/52-9.2","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":367382,"structure_id":52358,"section_number":"52-10","catch_line":"Fees and rewards","url":"\/52-10\/","token":"52\/1\/52-10","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/52-1\/","history_text":"<p>The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1974, chapter 483; in 1980, chapter 232; in 2000, chapters <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?001+ful+CHAP0560\">560<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/legacylis.virginia.gov\/cgi-bin\/legp604.exe?001+ful+CHAP0600\">600<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1464133,"object_type":"law","relational_id":367381,"identifier":"52-1","token":"52\/1\/52-1","url":"\/52-1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/52-1\/","token":"52\/1\/52-1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Establishment of Department headed by Superintendent; Bureau of Criminal Investigation and division of drug law enforcement and investigation within Department","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 52-1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>There is hereby established as a separate department, a Department of State Police headed by the Superintendent of State Police. There shall be established within the Department of State Police, in addition to any other divisions or bureaus that may be established by <span class=\"dictionary\">statute<\/span> or otherwise, a Bureau of Criminal Investigation and a division for drug <span class=\"dictionary\">law<\/span> enforcement and investigation.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nESTABLISHMENT OF DEPARTMENT HEADED BY SUPERINTENDENT; BUREAU OF CRIMINAL\nINVESTIGATION AND DIVISION OF DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INVESTIGATION WITHIN\nDEPARTMENT (\u00a7 52-1)\n\nThere is hereby established as a separate department, a Department of State\nPolice headed by the Superintendent of State Police. There shall be established\nwithin the Department of State Police, in addition to any other divisions or\nbureaus that may be established by statute or otherwise, a Bureau of Criminal\nInvestigation and a division for drug law enforcement and investigation.\n\nHISTORY: 1942, p. 340; Michie Code 1942, \u00a7 585(71a); R. P. 1948, \u00a7 52-1; 1974,\nc. 483; 1980, c. 232; 2000, cc. 560, 600.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}