A. Upon organization of an academy, it shall be a public body corporate and politic, the purposes of which shall be to establish and conduct training for public law-enforcement and correctional officers, those being trained to be public law-enforcement and correctional officers, other personnel who assist or support such officers, and those persons seeking appointments as special conservators of the peace pursuant to § 19.2-13. The persons trained by an academy need not be employed by a locality that has joined in the agreement creating the academy.

B. Criminal justice training academies may:

1. Adopt and have a common seal and alter that seal at the pleasure of the board of directors;

2. Sue and be sued;

3. Adopt bylaws and make rules and regulations for the conduct of its business;

4. Make and enter into all contracts or agreements, as it may determine are necessary, incidental or convenient to the performance of its duties and to the execution of the powers granted under this article;

5. Apply for and accept, disburse and administer for itself or for a member governmental unit any loans or grants of money, materials or property from any private or charitable source, the United States of America, the Commonwealth, any agency or instrumentality thereof, or from any other source;

6. Employ engineers, attorneys, planners and such other professional experts or consultants, and general and clerical employees as may be deemed necessary and prescribe such experts, consultants, and employees' powers, duties, and compensation;

7. Perform any acts authorized under this article through or by means of its own officers, agents and employees, or by contracts with any person, firm or corporation;

8. Acquire, whether by purchase, exchange, gift, lease or otherwise, any interest in real or personal property, and improve, maintain, equip and furnish academy facilities;

9. Lease, sell, exchange, donate and convey any interest in any or all of its projects, property or facilities in furtherance of the purposes of the academy as set forth in this article;

10. Accept contributions, grants and other financial assistance from the United States of America and its agencies or instrumentalities thereof, the Commonwealth, any political subdivision, agency or public instrumentality thereof or from any other source, for or in aid of the construction, acquisition, ownership, maintenance or repair of the academy facilities, for the payment of principal of, or interest on, any bond of the academy, or other costs incident thereto, or make loans in furtherance of the purposes of this article of such money, contributions, grants, and other financial assistance, and comply with such conditions and to execute such agreements, trust indentures, and other legal instruments as may be necessary, convenient or desirable and agree to such terms and conditions as may be imposed;

11. Borrow money from any source for capital purposes or to cover current expenditures in any given year in anticipation of the collection of revenues;

12. Mortgage and pledge any or all of its projects, property or facilities or parts thereof and pledge the revenues therefrom or from any part thereof as security for the payment of principal and premium, if any, and interest on any bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness;

13. Create an executive committee which may exercise the powers and authority of the academy under this article pursuant to authority delegated to it by the board of directors;

14. Establish fees or other charges for the training services provided;

15. Exercise the powers granted in the agreement creating the academy; and

16. Execute any and all instruments and do and perform any and all acts necessary, convenient or desirable for its purposes or to carry out the powers expressly given in this article.

1993, c. 935, § 15.1-159.7:2; 1997, c. 587; 2015, cc. 766, 772.