SIDNEY -- Kimball Police Chief Jose Ruiz attended the Cheyenne County Commissioners meeting today. 

CCECC Director Heidi Gillespie said the Kimball Police Department approached her about dispatch services. 

"Our department has recently been approached by the Kimball Police Department. They are interested in moving their dispatching services from the current Comm Center to ours. I have looked into the logistics for making a switch like that. It would be much easier and cleaner, than Deuel County. Just moving Kimball PD itself it can be done quickly, easily. It can be done without any infrastructure adjustments. With the equipment that we and they already have, phone calls and radio traffic can be rerouted through some programming changes that would be done remotely," Gillespie said.

Kimball and Sidney Police recently entered an agreement, a memorandum of understanding (MOU), that allows one department to support the other when in need. Kimball Police Chief stressed today it is not a day to day random transfer of staff.

"We recently entered a mutual aid agreement with the Sidney Police Department, and that allows us to assist them in search warrants. They can come to Kimball and assist us with search warrants, also for events that may need additional law enforcement. We actually came out and helped with DUI enforcement during Octoberfest. While we were here we were able to get our radios to work with Cheyenne County Communications," Ruiz said.

He said Kimball officers were able to speak with dispatch and Sidney officers. He said they used a shared channel through the Nebraska State Patrol. Ruiz also cited the amount of staff needed to safety deliver a felony warrant a a reason for the agreement with the Sidney Police Department.

Commissioner Randy Miller asked Cheyenne County Attorney Paul Schaub how two agencies of different jurisdictions can sign a mutual aid agreement. Ruiz said they went through their city council, and it was proposed then accepted by the Sidney City Council. Schaub referred to a Mutual Assistance Aid statute that allows one agency to help another ... for emergencies. Ruiz verified Sidney officers would only be used when needed, not, for example, routine patrol assignments. 

Proposed payment by Kimball would be determined by the boards including the Emergency Communications Board. 

"I would be excited and happy to onboard them. I would very much look forward to being able to work with them if that's possible for everybody to come to an agreement," Gillespie said. 

She said the commissioners is the first board she has met with regarding the proposal. She will also be meeting with the Deuel County commissioners, Kimball city council and Sidney City Council.