Assault of a Police Officer Charge in Virginia

Assault of a Police Officer Charge in Virginia

An Assault of a Police Officer in Virginia is a Class 6 Felony

Assaulting a police officer in Virginia is threatening a police officer with a harmful or offensive contact.  The harmful or offensive contact is the same that is required for a simple assault conviction in Virginia.  The officer does not have to be harmed or even touched in any way to convict an offender of Assault of a Police Officer in Virginia under Va. Code §18.2-57(c), but the Commonwealth must prove that the offender knew or should have known that the victim was a police officer engaged in his public duties.

For more information on assault in Virginia, click here.

For more information on simple assault in Virginia, click here.

Penalty for Assault of a Police Officer Charge in Virginia

An Assault of a Police Officer charge in Virginia is a Class 6 felony.  It is punished with a mandatory minimum, active sentence of 6 months in jail up to 5 years in prison and a fine up to $2,500.  Most importantly, the offender will have a felony conviction on his permanent criminal record that can never be expunged.