(Harlan) Shelby County and the City of Harlan have agreed to change the effective date of the 28E Law Enforcement agreement to this Saturday, April 15. This is when the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office will begin the transition for providing law enforcement coverage to the City of Harlan. The Shelby County Board of Supervisors agreed to the effective date this morning. The Harlan City Council approved the change during a special meeting on Monday.
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 to fine-tune a transition period. Sheriff Gross assures residents of the County there will be an increase in Patrol in the County 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.
