By SHAWN STREET, shawn@virginiamediainc.com
A mutual aid and cooperation agreement is now in place between the sheriff’s offices of Russell and Tazewell Counties.
According to a resolution that was passed by the Russell County Board of Supervisors, “The parties have determined that providing emergency police aid across jurisdictional boundaries will increase the ability of the local law enforcement agencies to promote the public safety and protect the general welfare of the citizens and intend by this accord to enter into a reciprocal agreement for cooperation in furnishing police services and for use of their joint police forces, their equipment, and materials for their mutual protection, defense, and maintenance of peace and good order.”
Several specific areas are outlined in the agreement. The first is assistance in the event of an emergency. The agreement allows for officers from one county to participate in law enforcement activities if requested.
The agreement allows law enforcement officers serve civil summons, serve criminal warrants and make arrests within the territorial limits of the other county. This will be allowed when the alleged offense or civil cause of action occurred in the sheriff’s office home county.
The agreement also forms a task force between the two counties’ sheriff’s offices. “They may form a task force of officers from two or more jurisdictions until such time as the agency of that participating jurisdiction determines that the need for such a task force no longer exists,” the agreement reads.
The purpose for which the agency of two or more participating jurisdictions may form a task force includes, but is not limited to, the following:
a) The investigation of any sexual offense or prostitution;
b) The investigation of laws assigned to control or prohibit the use or sale of controlled drugs;
c) The investigation of serial rapes, murders, armed robberies, or other felonies;
d) Law enforcement and crowd control at special events and athletic events such as parades, sporting events, rallies, gatherings, or such other occurrences; or;
e) The occurrence of any other event which in the opinion of both principal law enforcement officers makes cooperation between their respective agencies necessary.
