Virginia statute

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-57.02 — Disarming a law-enforcement or correctional officer; penalty

Current through 2026 Regular Session

Part of Article 4: Assaults and Bodily Woundings, Code of Virginia.

Criminal charges under this statute

Disarming a law-enforcement or correctional officer

Full text of Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-57.02

Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the text of the Code of Virginia from the official Virginia Law Portal API published by the Virginia General Assembly's Division of Legislative Automated Systems; it is not the official Code of Virginia.

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-57.02Primary source, current through the 2026 Regular Session

Any person who knows or has reason to know a person is a law-enforcement officer as defined in § 18.2-57 , a correctional officer as defined in § 53.1-1 , or a person employed by the Department of Corrections directly involved in the care, treatment or supervision of inmates in the custody of the Department, who is engaged in the performance of his duties as such and, with the intent to impede or prevent any such person from performing his official duties, knowingly and without the person's permission removes a chemical irritant weapon or impact weapon from the possession of the officer or deprives the officer of the use of the weapon is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. However, if the weapon removed or deprived in violation of this section is the officer's firearm or stun weapon as defined in § 18.2-308.1 , he shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony. A violation of this section shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.

Official sources

Official section text (law.lis.virginia.gov)

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

Is disarming a law-enforcement or correctional officer a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?

It depends on the circumstances: disarming a law-enforcement or correctional officer ranges from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 6 felony in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-57.02.

Disarming officer of chemical irritant or impact weapon: class 1 misdemeanor (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-57.02) · Disarming officer of firearm or stun weapon: class 6 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-57.02)

Which Virginia statute covers disarming a law-enforcement or correctional officer?

Disarming a law-enforcement or correctional officer is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-57.02 (Disarming a law-enforcement or correctional officer; penalty).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.