(Harlan) Shelby County and the City of Harlan are moving forward with a 28E agreement with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office to provide coverage for the City of Harlan and the County. The conversation started when it became challenging to hire and retain Police Officers.
The Harlan City Council voted on March 14, and the Shelby County Board of Supervisors on March 21 entered the 28E agreement.
Shelby County Sheriff Neil Gross has been meeting with Harlan City Officials this week to fine-tune a transition period. Sheriff Gross this week posted the seven job openings. The four remaining Harlan Police Officers are encouraged to apply.
Sheriff Gross assures residents of the County there will be an increase in Patrol in the Country and the city.
On paper, the transition shows some cost savings to the city and the County. However, Sheriff Gross says there are still a lot of unknowns. He says even if the transition comes out as cost-neutral, it will still be a “win-win” for both sides.
This type of 28E agreement is not something new. Cities form 28E contracts for various reasons, the most common being for law enforcement services, fire protection and mutual aid, emergency response, and joint dispatch.
