def METHOD_NAME(
    scan_id: str,
    sudo: bool = False,
    niceness: int = None,
) -> Optional[psutil.Popen]:
    """Calls openvas to start a scan process"""
    cmd = []
    if niceness:
        cmd += ['nice', '-n', niceness]
        logger.debug("Starting scan with niceness %s", niceness)
    if sudo:
        cmd += ['sudo', '-n']
    cmd += ['openvas', '--scan-start', scan_id]
    try:
        return psutil.Popen(cmd, shell=False)
    except (psutil.Error, OSError, FileNotFoundError) as e:
        # the command is not available
        logger.warning("Could not start scan process. Reason %s", e)
        return None