Virginia Law

Article 8. Law-Enforcement Expenditures.

As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Adjusted crime index" means the potential crime rate for a locality multiplied by the base year population of the locality as estimated by the Center for Public Service.

"Average crime rate" for a city or eligible county means the annual average number of violent and property index crimes per 100,000 persons, as reported by the Superintendent of State Police, for the base year and the fiscal year immediately preceding, and the fiscal year immediately following, the base year. If the data are not available for the fiscal year immediately following the base year, the average shall be based on the base year and the two immediately preceding fiscal years.

"Base year" means the most recent fiscal year for which comparable data are available for: (i) population estimates by the Center for Public Service or the United States Bureau of the Census, adjusted for annexation as determined by the Department, (ii) actual state expenditures for salaries and expenses of sheriffs as reported by the Compensation Board, (iii) number of persons eligible for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families as defined in § 63.2-100, (iv) number of persons in foster care, as defined in § 63.2-100, and (v) the number of persons receiving maintenance payments in a general relief program as defined in § 63.2-100.

"Distribution formula" means that linear equation derived biennially by the Department, using standard statistical procedures, which best predicts average crime rates in all cities and eligible counties in the Commonwealth on the basis of the following factors in their simplest form:

1. The total base year number of (i) persons enrolled in Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, (ii) persons in foster care, and (iii) persons receiving maintenance payments in a general relief program, per 100,000 base year population; and

2. The local population density, based on the base year population estimates of the Center for Public Service, adjusted for annexation as determined by the Department, and the land area in square miles of the city or eligible county as reported by the United States Census Bureau, adjusted for annexation as determined by the Department.

"Eligible county" means any county which operates a police department.

"Police department" means that organization established by ordinance by a local governing body that is responsible for the prevention and detection of crime, the apprehension of criminals, the safeguard of life and property, the preservation of peace and the enforcement of state and local laws, regulations, and ordinances. Such department shall have a chief of police, which in the case of counties may be the sheriff, and such officers, privates, and other personnel as may be provided for in the ordinance, one sworn member of which shall be a full-time employee. All law-enforcement officers serving as members of such police department, whether full-time or part-time, and whether permanently or temporarily employed, shall meet the minimum training standards established pursuant to §§ 9.1-102 and 9.1-114, unless such personnel are exempt from the minimum training standards as provided in §§ 9.1-113 and 9.1-116. Any police department established subsequent to July 1, 1981, shall also have, at a minimum, one officer on duty at all times for the purposes set forth above.

However, notwithstanding any contrary provision of this definition,

1. Any locality receiving funds under this article during the 1980-82 biennium shall be considered to have a valid police department eligible for funds as long as such police department continues in operation;

2. Any town receiving funds under this article during the 1986-1988 biennium shall be considered to have a valid police department eligible for funds even though police services for such town may thereafter be provided by the sheriff of the county in which the town is located by agreement made pursuant to § 15.2-1726. Eligibility for funds under this subdivision shall last as long as such agreement remains in effect. Police services for the town furnished by the sheriff shall be equal to or greater than the police services last furnished by the town's police department.

"Population served by police departments" means the total base year population of the Commonwealth less the population served by sheriffs only.

"Population served by sheriffs only" means the total base year population of those counties without a police department, less the latest available estimate from the United States Bureau of the Census of the total population of towns, or portions of towns, having police departments, located in such counties.

"Potential crime rate" means the number of crimes per 100,000 persons in the base year population for each city or eligible county, as derived from the distribution formula.

"State aid to localities with police" means that amount which bears the same relationship to the population served by police departments as state aid to sheriff-only localities bears to the population served by sheriffs only.

"State aid to sheriff-only localities" means the estimated total amount for salaries and expenses to be paid by the Commonwealth, pursuant to Article 3 (§ 15.2-1609 et seq.) of Chapter 16 of Title 15.2, to sheriffs' offices in those counties without a police department, based on the actual percentage of total state expenditures in the base year distributed to those counties without police departments.

1979, c. 83, § 14.1-84.2; 1981, c. 485; 1982, c. 600; 1984, c. 779; 1985, c. 140; 1989, cc. 84, 292; 1998, c. 872, § 9-183.14; 2001, c. 844.

The Department of the Treasury shall disburse funds to cities, towns and counties, to aid in the law-enforcement expenditures of those local governments, pursuant to the terms of this article.

1979, c. 83, § 14.1-84.1; 1981, c. 485; 1998, c. 872, § 9-183.13; 2001, c. 844.

By January 1 of each even-numbered year, the Department, using the relevant base year data, shall calculate the adjusted crime index for each city and each eligible county. Such calculation shall be used for the succeeding fiscal biennium adjusted for annexation as determined by the Department.

1979, c. 83, § 14.1-84.3; 1981, c. 485; 1989, c. 84; 1998, c. 872, § 9-183.15; 2001, c. 844.

A. Any city, county, or town establishing a police department shall provide the Department written notice of its intent to seek state funds in accordance with the provisions of this article. Such city, county, or town shall become eligible to receive funds at the beginning of the next fiscal year which commences not sooner than twelve months after the filing of this notice.

B. No city, county, or town shall receive any funds in accordance with the terms of this article unless it notifies the Department prior to July 1 each year that its law-enforcement personnel, whether full-time or part-time and whether permanently or temporarily employed, have complied with the minimum training standards as provided in §§ 9.1-102 and 9.1-114, unless such personnel are exempt from the minimum training standards as provided in §§ 9.1-113 and 9.1-116 or that an effort will be made to have its law-enforcement personnel comply with such minimum training standards during the ensuing fiscal year. Any city, county, or town failing to make an effort to comply with the minimum training standards may be declared ineligible for funding in the succeeding fiscal year by the Department.

C. A change in the form of government from city to tier-city shall not preclude the successor tier-city which continues to provide a police department from eligibility for funds.

D. Any county consolidated under the provisions of Chapter 35 (§ 15.2-3500 et seq.) of Title 15.2 shall be eligible to receive financial assistance for law-enforcement expenditures subject to the provisions of this article. The consolidated county shall be eligible to receive, on behalf of the formerly incorporated towns that became shires, boroughs or special service tax districts within the consolidated county, law-enforcement assistance under the provisions of this article, provided that the consolidation agreement approved pursuant to Chapter 35 (§ 15.2-3500 et seq.) of Title 15.2 provides for the additional law-enforcement governmental services previously provided by the police department of such incorporated towns.

1981, c. 485, § 14.1-84.6:1; 1982, c. 600; 1983, c. 4, § 14.1-84.6:2; 1984, cc. 695, 779; 1998, c. 872, §§ 9-183.19, 9-183.20; 2001, c. 844.

A. The total amount of funds to be distributed as determined by the Department shall be equal to the amount of state aid to localities with police, as defined in § 9.1-165, minus (i) the salaries and expenses of sheriffs' offices in such cities and counties as estimated pursuant to Article 3 (§ 15.2-1609 et seq.) of Chapter 16 of Title 15.2 and (ii) five percent of the remainder, which shall be placed in a discretionary fund to be administered as specified in § 9.1-171. However, the percentage change in the total amount of funds to be distributed for any fiscal year from the preceding fiscal year shall be equal to the anticipated percentage change in total general fund revenue collections for the same time period as stated in the appropriation act.

B. Each city and eligible county shall receive a percentage of such total amount to be distributed equal to the percentage of the total adjusted crime index attributable to such city or county. Payments to the cities and eligible counties shall be made in equal quarterly installments by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the General Assembly, through the appropriation act, may appropriate specific dollar amounts to provide financial assistance to localities with police departments.

1979, c. 83, § 14.1-84.4; 1981, c. 485; 1986, c. 235; 1998, c. 872, § 9-183.16; 2001, c. 844.

A. Towns located in eligible counties and which have police departments shall receive a percentage of the funds distributed to the county in accordance with § 9.1-169, such percentage to be equal to the ratio of the town's population as determined by the Department to the total population of the county.

B. Towns located in noneligible counties shall be assigned an adjusted crime index based on their population and the average of the three lowest predicted crime rates for cities. Such towns shall receive funds based on such adjusted crime index in the same manner as cities and eligible counties as provided in § 9.1-169.

1979, c. 83, § 14.1-84.5; 1981, c. 485; 1998, c. 872, § 9-183.17; 2001, c. 844.

In the case of a city with a population of more than 200,000 receiving per capita aid for law enforcement in accordance with § 9.1-169 of less than sixty-five percent of the average per capita aid to law enforcement received by all other cities with a population of more than 200,000 under such provisions, exclusive of amounts payable by reason of this section, the discretionary fund established by § 9.1-169 shall first be used to pay such city an aggregate sum so as to make its per capita receipts for law enforcement under § 9.1-169 equal to sixty-five percent of the average per capita aid for law enforcement disbursed to all other cities with a population of more than 200,000. The remainder, if any, shall be distributed per capita among (i) cities with populations under 200,000, (ii) eligible counties, and (iii) towns having police departments.

1979, c. 83, § 14.1-84.6; 1981, c. 485; 1998, c. 872, § 9-183.18; 2001, c. 844.

Prior to the convening of the General Assembly in each even-numbered year, the Department shall determine whether the variables incorporated in the equation used in the distribution formula are statistically acceptable for such computation, and to determine whether any other variables would be better predictors of crime. If, as a result of this research, the Department determines that the variables used in the equation should be changed, it shall recommend to the General Assembly appropriate legislation to accomplish this change.

1979, c. 83, § 14.1-84.7; 1981, c. 485; 1998, c. 872, § 9-183.21; 2001, c. 844.