Action 9.
Regular Board of Supervisors Meeting - 10:00 am
County Sheriff
- Meeting Date:
- 04/21/2026
- Title:
- Intergovernmental Agreement between Cochise County and City of Sierra Vista for Regional SWAT Team
- Submitted By:
- John Gjerde, County Sheriff
- Department:
- County Sheriff
Presentation:
No A/V Presentation
Recommendation:
Approve
Document Signatures:
BOS Signature Required
# of ORIGINALS
Submitted for Signature:
Submitted for Signature:
2
NAME
of PRESENTER:
of PRESENTER:
Carl Larimer
TITLE
of PRESENTER:
of PRESENTER:
Lieutenant
Docket Number (If applicable):
Mandated Function?:
Not Mandated
Source of Mandate
or Basis for Support?:
or Basis for Support?:
Information
Agenda Item Text:
Approve an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between Cochise County and the City of Sierra Vista to provide regional Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team services for an initial five-year term, with options for four one-year extensions, automatic annual renewal unless terminated with 90 days’ notice, and subject to A.R.S. §38-511.
Background:
The mission of law enforcement continues to evolve in response to the ever-changing tactics of the criminal element. Law Enforcement resources are continually stretched beyond their intended purpose and agencies must find ways to create resource multipliers to deal with these changes. The intention of this agreement between local first responders is to augment each department's equipment and staffing by combining our personnel and equipment for specific mission-based needs.
The purpose of this IGA is to allow law enforcement, fire departments, and emergency medical service organizations in Cochise County the opportunity to cooperate with the Cochise County Sheriff's Office Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team in an effort to establish a regional SWAT Team. This IGA will allow SWAT-trained personnel to work together in good faith to respond, when requested by other parties, to potentially lifethreatening situations and/or incidents requiring specialized skills, tactics and/or equipment, and to secure, isolate, and resolve situations in a manner consistent with escalation of force theories and preservation of life.
Cochise County and City of Sierra Vista are authorized to enter into this IGA pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes {A.R.S.) §§ 11-952, et seq.; and
WHEREAS, the parties, through their respective Offices, provide certain emergency and law enforcement services in response to many of the same types of emergency circumstances requiring a specially trained tactical unit; and WHEREAS, Cochise County established and operates a local SWAT Team and the City has operated a comparable unit (SVPD Tactical Unit); and WHEREAS, Cochise County and City of Sierra Vista desire to provide mutual aid and assistance and to cooperate in ways that will be beneficial to both parties and allow the parties to respond to situations where an SWAT Team may be appropriate; and WHEREAS, the parties share a common goal of working cooperatively with one another to maximize the overall public benefit that can be achieved with limited public resources that are available to each other; and WHEREAS, beginning in 2024, the parties have trained together and operated jointly in an effort to align tactics and procedures to pilot a more cohesive and larger tactical law enforcement resource, experiencing enhanced efficiency; and WHEREAS, the parties have collectively developed a single, common SWAT policy manual that has been approved by both the Cochise County Sheriff and Sierra Vista Chief of Police; and WHEREAS, the parties desire to enter into an agreement for the City, through its police department, to provide personnel to support Cochise County, through its Sheriff's Office as a joint regional SWAT Team; and
WHEREAS, the parties desire to enter into an agreement for Cochise County, through its Sheriff's Office, to provide SWAT Team support to the City, through its joint regional SWAT Team.
The purpose of this IGA is to allow law enforcement, fire departments, and emergency medical service organizations in Cochise County the opportunity to cooperate with the Cochise County Sheriff's Office Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team in an effort to establish a regional SWAT Team. This IGA will allow SWAT-trained personnel to work together in good faith to respond, when requested by other parties, to potentially lifethreatening situations and/or incidents requiring specialized skills, tactics and/or equipment, and to secure, isolate, and resolve situations in a manner consistent with escalation of force theories and preservation of life.
Cochise County and City of Sierra Vista are authorized to enter into this IGA pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes {A.R.S.) §§ 11-952, et seq.; and
WHEREAS, the parties, through their respective Offices, provide certain emergency and law enforcement services in response to many of the same types of emergency circumstances requiring a specially trained tactical unit; and WHEREAS, Cochise County established and operates a local SWAT Team and the City has operated a comparable unit (SVPD Tactical Unit); and WHEREAS, Cochise County and City of Sierra Vista desire to provide mutual aid and assistance and to cooperate in ways that will be beneficial to both parties and allow the parties to respond to situations where an SWAT Team may be appropriate; and WHEREAS, the parties share a common goal of working cooperatively with one another to maximize the overall public benefit that can be achieved with limited public resources that are available to each other; and WHEREAS, beginning in 2024, the parties have trained together and operated jointly in an effort to align tactics and procedures to pilot a more cohesive and larger tactical law enforcement resource, experiencing enhanced efficiency; and WHEREAS, the parties have collectively developed a single, common SWAT policy manual that has been approved by both the Cochise County Sheriff and Sierra Vista Chief of Police; and WHEREAS, the parties desire to enter into an agreement for the City, through its police department, to provide personnel to support Cochise County, through its Sheriff's Office as a joint regional SWAT Team; and
WHEREAS, the parties desire to enter into an agreement for Cochise County, through its Sheriff's Office, to provide SWAT Team support to the City, through its joint regional SWAT Team.
Department's Next Steps (if approved):
If approved, we will become a Regional SWAT team and continue to grow.
Impact of NOT Approving/Alternatives:
If not approved, we will revert to our current practice of operating independently of other agencies.
To BOS Staff: Document Disposition/Follow-Up:
If approved, please return signed copies to Lt. Larimer for dissemination to the Sierra Vista Police Department.