Virginia's House Bill #716 would, if enacted, establish in law an initiative that's already been proposed by Scott County's law enforcement, allowing qualified volunteers to serve as "auxiliary" police force. Full text:
http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?121+ful+HB716
For those unfamiliar with Scott County, let's say here that thanks to low population density we have little violent crime. "Police emergencies" often involve family and neighborly disputes. Some people tend to "call the law" as a nonviolent way to escalate a quarrel and/or get their own way for the moment. "Over my dead body you'll do XYZ!" is reported as a threat from someone who is quietly blocking a doorway or sitting on a car key.
Police usually respond to these calls, eventually, but there is some feeling that a visit from a volunteer "deputy" might defuse the situation with less lingering hostility than an attempt to turn a disagreement into an emergency. Hence the proposed inclusion of regulations about volunteer "auxiliary police" in existing legislation about protective orders that are issued in response to a perceived threat and do not "imply wrongdoing."
I don't know how this legislation might be received in any other county, but the program has received media attention here in Scott County and I'm not aware of any objections.
Since it's hard for anyone to be completely sure whether any person will later become angrier or more violent if the police either do or do not step in to mediate these interpersonal disputes, let's just say that Delegate Kilgore intended HB716 as a measure for saving Scott County taxpayers money. This web site officially thanks him, Sheriff Puckett, and our local police chiefs for their good intentions.
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