Introduction
A city or town may provide law enforcement protection in a number of different ways. The traditional and most common way is to establish a municipal police department under the direction of a locally appointed police chief or marshal. Many small communities and even several larger ones enter into a contractual arrangement with another jurisdiction to provide law enforcement services. Cities and towns typically contract with the county for police services or they may also contract with a neighboring city or town for service. The level of service and cost must be negotiated between the jurisdictions. In contracting for police protection a city or town may opt to appoint a city employee or officer to serve as chief law enforcement officer or as is most typically done designate an officers from the jurisdiction being contracted with to serve in that capacity.
Many municipalities also enter into contracts with other cities, the county, or the state patrol to provide back-up assistance in emergency situations.
Interlocal Contracting Authority
Agreements for Law Enforcement Services
- Contracting Law Enforcement Services, International City/County Management Association IQ Report, February 2002 (Available through MRSC Library Loan)
- Bingen and White Salmon Interlocal Agreement relating to the provision of law enforcement services, term of service 06/01/2008 - 12/31/2014
- Burien Provision of Police Service Assessment - Cost evaluation of the city's current contract for police services with King County and how it might compare to a model where the city provided police services itself, 08/05/2011
- Chelan and Chelan County Interlocal Agreement for law enforcement services from county, agreement from 01/2001 to 12/2003
- King County Sheriff Partners Contract Program (King County Cities)
- Yakima County Interlocal agreement with Naches for the provision of law enforcement services
- Pierce County
- Skagit County
- Snohomish County and Stanwood Interlocal Agreement for county to provide law enforcement services, term 2014-2017
- Woodinville Contract for Police Services: Details and Terms - Overview of the city's interlocal agreement for police services, 02/13/2006
Consolidations and Mergers
Mutual Aid Agreements
Agreements for Other Services
See also Communications and Dispatch Services
- Interlocal Agreement for services between Clark County Sheriff's office, Clark County and Vancouver for newly annexed areas
- Interlocal Agreement between King County and Bellevue relating to marine patrol services
- Interlocal Drug Task Force Agreement between Kitsap and Mason Counties and cities of Bainbridge Island, Bremerton, Port Orchard, Poulsbo and Shelton, 06/1997
- Law Enforcement Assistance Agreement between the city of Wapato and the Yakima County Sheriff's office for communications, 01/2000
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Skagit County Sheriff's ffice and the Mount Vernon Police Department regarding law enforcement response to property owned by Skagit County and located within the city limits of Mount Vernon, 2007
Regional Cooperation