Warren City Council agreed to sign off on an arrangement aimed to reinforce police service throughout the county.

According to District Attorney Rob Greene, the temporary municipal police cooperative agreement will include the Sheriff’s office, City of Warren, Youngsville and Conewango Township police departments as well as the Warren County District’s office.

The agreement indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic may require that agencies “need assistance from other local agencies due to the… pandemic and small size of the individual department(s) staff.”

Additionally, the thrust of the agreement is to have “available for use throughout the territorial limits of Warren County, the services of police and law enforcement officers employed by any and all of the Warren County units” covered by the plan.

Council had tabled action as the potential last signatory on Monday and met in special meeting on Friday at noon.

City of Warren Police Chief Brandon Deppen said the city is “working closely” with the county and described this agreement as “mutual police aid across jurisdictional lines.”

The city approached Greene about potential changes to the agreement and Solicitor Andrea Stapleford said that Greene told her none would be made and that delays would defeat the purpose.

Stapleford explained that the agreement is modeled after the DUI Task Force and Drug Task Force agreements already in place and said it is “really just to facilitate the dispatch of officers in a more timely manner.”

Deppen said that currently their assistance outside of the city would need to be requested. This agreement cuts out that step in the process and allows 911 to dispatch directly.

“This is a worst-case scenario,” he said. “The climate of when this goes into effect is going to dictate a lot of things.” That would include whether agencies are able to remain operational should they be hit hard by the virus.

Deppen said the Pennsylvania State Police are part of the agreement though they are not signatories.

Council ultimately elected to authorize Deppen to sign on to the agreement.