MUTUAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT 

REGIONAL MAJOR CRIMES TEAM 

(RMCT) 

Battle Ground Police Department, Camas Police Department, Clark County Sheriff’s 

Office, La Center Police Department, Ridgefield Police Department, Skamania 

County Sheriff’s Office, Vancouver Police Department, Washington State University 

Police Department, Washougal Police Department. 

THIS MUTUAL AID LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT is 

entered into by and between the undersigned parties in order to provide for the 

establishment and support of a Regional Major Crimes Team, comprised of a call 

responsive investigative team. Except to the extent that this agreement provides an 

express condition to the contrary, all terms and provisions set forth in the Master 

Interlocal Mutual Law Enforcement Assistance Agreement previously executed by the 

parties are incorporated by reference and made a part of this agreement. 

1. Effective Date and Duration. This Agreement shall be effective from the date 

the agreement is executed by at least two parties and shall renew automatically 

on the first day of each following January thereafter unless terminated in 

accordance with the provisions of the Master Agreement between the parties. 

2. Purpose and Function. The purpose of the agreement is to provide for the 

cooperative and coordinated investigations of law enforcement-involved fatalities 

or serious injury incidents, major crimes, or other serious incidents – special 

requests within Clark and Skamania Counties, as is authorized by RCW 39.34 

and RCW 10.93. 

Each Department should establish their own guideline as to when and if they will 

request assistance from RMCT. The involved agency may investigate the matter 

by itself or may seek aid from other agencies. 

3. Definitions. 

a. Law enforcement-involved fatalities or serious injury incidents: 

1. Intentional and unintentional shootings (OIS) 

2. Any fatal or critical injury to a person in law enforcement custody 

3. Serious assaults upon law enforcement or other law enforcement 

employee who are on-duty or are acting with a law enforcement 

purpose 

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4. Vehicular collisions involving fatality or critical injury that occurs as 

a result of use of force (i.e.: gunfire, intervention technique, police 

pursuit). 

b. Major crimes: 

1. Homicide 

2. Suspicious Death 

3. Infant Deaths 

4. Robberies with violent assaults 

5. Burglaries or home invasions with violent assaults 

6. Rapes 

7. Assault I with serious injuries 

8. Kidnap I (actual missing person) 

c. Other serious incident or special request: 

1. Officer involved Domestic Violence 

2. Any other sensitive or critical event involving a law enforcement 

employee where criminal conduct is a possibility to be investigated. 

3. Non-officer involved incident - activation with agreement between 

command level personnel from the agency of jurisdiction and/or 

requesting agency and the participating agency agreeing to activate 

d. “Incident commander” means the Chief Law Enforcement Officer, or their 

designee, of the jurisdiction where the crime or investigation occurs. 

e. “RMCT supervisors” means the designated sergeant or commander of the 

Vancouver Police department detective unit and the designated sergeant or 

commander for the Clark County Sheriff’s office detective unit or other agreed 

upon RMCT supervisor. 

f. “Investigative Team” means a contingent of specially trained and qualified 

detectives employed by participating agencies, assigned as members of the 

Regional Major Crimes Team, and tasked with responding to defined law 

enforcement-involved fatalities or serious injury incidents, major crimes, or 

other serious incident – special request at the request of the participating 

agency with primary geographic or territorial jurisdiction. 

g. Primary jurisdiction” means the agency with primary territorial jurisdiction as 

defined in RCW 10.93.020. In the event that a law enforcement-involved 

fatality or serious injury incident, major crime, or other serious incident – 

special request occurs in or across two or more territorial jurisdictions, 

primary jurisdiction may be assigned by agreement of the affected agencies. 

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h. "Regional Major Crimes Team” (“RMCT”) means all investigators and 

supervisory personnel assigned by participating agencies to the team. 

4. Special Training. In addition to the minimum training set forth in section 6-d of 

this agreement, the Regional Major Crimes Team shall undertake, on a regular 

and recurring basis, investigative tactics such as evidence collection, report 

writing, search warrant and arrest warrant affidavit training. The training will be 

provided by the member’s parent agency and/or cost for such training will be paid 

by the member’s agency. 

5. Activation and Control of Regional Major Crimes Team. 

a. Activation. Upon the commission of a crime, law enforcement-involved 

fatality or serious injury incident, or other serious incident – special request 

that would qualify for the activation of the RMCT, the chief law enforcement 

officer of the agency with primary jurisdiction, or his or her authorized 

representative, is empowered to request assistance by notifying CRESA to 

summon contact with the RMCT supervisors. The RMCT supervisor for the 

incident will be determined by type of incident and the jurisdiction where the 

incident occurs. 

b. Any law enforcement-involved fatality or serious injury incident as defined in 

section 3-aof this agreement that occurs within the city limits of Vancouver will 

be the responsibility of the Clark County Sheriff’s detective supervisor. Any 

such incidents occurring outside the city limits of Vancouver, involving a Clark 

County Sheriff’s employee, will be the responsibility of the RMCT supervisor 

of the Vancouver Police Major Crimes Unit. Any activation of RMCT for an 

employee-involved fatal or critical incident that occurs in the jurisdiction of 

participating agency will be the responsibility of a CCSO, VPD or other 

agreed upon RMCT supervisor. The agency of jurisdiction incident 

commander and the RMCT supervisor will evaluate the situation, considering 

the need for and availability of tactical, forensic and support resources. The 

RMCT supervisor may activate the number of team members he or she feels 

is required to start the investigation. In doing so, the RMCT shall respond to 

its fullest ability without compromising the ability and resources of member 

agencies to maintain a reasonable level of service within their own 

jurisdiction. 

c. Any major crime as defined in section 3-b of this agreement that occurs within 

the city limits of Vancouver will be the responsibility of the Vancouver Police 

detective supervisor. Any major crime outside of the Vancouver city limits will 

be the responsibility of the Clark County Sheriff’s detective supervisor or other 

agreed upon RMCT supervisor. The agency of jurisdiction incident 

commander and the RMCT supervisor will evaluate the situation, considering 

the need for and availability of tactical, forensic and support resources. The 

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RMCT supervisor may activate the number of team members he or she feels 

is required to start the investigation. In doing so, the RMCT shall respond to 

its fullest ability without compromising the ability and resources of member 

agencies to maintain a reasonable level of service within their own 

jurisdiction. 

d. Any other serious incident or special request as defined in section 3-c of this 

agreement will be evaluated by the agency of jurisdiction or requesting 

agency. The agency of jurisdiction or requesting agency will contact other 

participating agency command personnel who will evaluate the request and 

will make the decision if the team should be activated. The agency of 

jurisdiction incident commander and the RMCT supervisor will evaluate the 

situation, considering the need for and availability of tactical, forensic and 

support resources. If the requesting agency does not agree with a decision to 

not activate the team, the requesting agency chief may contact the host 

agency head to overrule the decision. 

e. Supervision and Control. The chief law enforcement officer of the agency 

with primary jurisdiction, or his or her authorized representative, shall act as 

the incident commander for the duration of the investigation and shall provide 

general support to the RMCT. The agency of jurisdiction investigation 

commander will coordinate RMCT activity with the RMCT supervisor to 

achieve mutually desired results. The RMCT supervisor shall retain full 

tactical authority to assign, deploy, or initiate action by RMCT personnel and 

may withdraw RMCT personnel or request that personnel from other agencies 

avoid or discontinue activities which, in his or her discretion, will compromise 

or hinder the effective performance of the RMCT. 

f. Media Relations. The media contact person’s duties shall be coordinated with 

the Chief of Police or Sheriff of the venue agency, the incident Commander, 

the RMCT supervisor, any investigator/s involved in the internal/administrative 

investigation, and the Prosecuting Attorney of venue. 

1. The public’s right to know what occurred must be balanced with the 

investigative process and the rights of involved individuals. 

2. If possible, the identity of any involved employee should be 

withheld from the media for approximately 48 hours following the 

incident. 

a. A 48 hour release policy for all parties involved in a shooting, to 

include the individual shot, is recommended to allow for 

notification to families and arrange for temporary, secure 

accommodations if they fear threats or retaliation may follow. 

The 48 hour release policy also provides the department 

sufficient time to properly notify the family of the individual shot. 

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3. Prior to the identity being released, the involved employee should 

be notified. 

6. Organization. No separate legal or administrative entity is created by the RMCT 

agreement and this agreement does not effect the organization or functions of 

the parties, except as provided below: 

a. Team Structure. A minimum of two sergeants will be assigned to the team, 

one sergeant from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and one assigned from 

Vancouver Police Department and other participating agency as long as 

assigned to agency units. 

b. Rotating Administrative Oversight. Operational administration shall rotate 

yearly (between the Vancouver Police Department and the Clark County 

Sheriff’s Office) to lead and host team trainings, (collect team data), organize 

monthly meetings and organize contacts with other groups. Individual agency 

cost analysis will be done by each participating agency. 

c. Assigned Investigators. A roster of assigned investigators will be prepared by 

the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and the Vancouver Police Department, one 

or more assigned by the Chief of the Camas Police Department, and one or 

more each assigned at the sole discretion of the Chiefs of the Battle Ground, 

La Center, Ridgefield, Washougal and Washington State University Police 

Departments and the Skamania County Sheriff. 

d. Selection of Team Members. Each participating agency shall have primary 

responsibility for the assignment of its personnel to the Regional Major 

Crimes Team. This agreement contemplates commitments of a 

recommended minimum of four (4) years to the investigative team. This interlocal agreement contemplates willingness and demonstrated interest and 

ability. The following minimum training requirements and demonstrated ability 

will be satisfied within 12 months of the initial assignment of personnel, at the 

expense of the assigning agency. 

1. Basic Homicide Investigation school 

2. Basic Reid Interviewing or equivalent 

3. Willingness and ability to work as a team member 

4. Good writing skills documented by sample reports 

5. Demonstrated interest in investigations by report samples and work 

experience; and 

6. Ability to complete complex investigation in follow-up to the primary 

RMCT investigation. 

e. Removal from RMCT. A member of the team may be recalled at any time by 

the member’s employing agency. 

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f. Other Participation. Member departments may choose to contribute to the 

RMCT by supplying personnel other than investigators. 

1. Support staff may be provided to do transcription of tapes 

2. Uniformed personnel may be provided when needed to guard crime 

scenes or provide crime scene security 

3. Other types of personnel contribution can be negotiated with the 

host agency 

7. Budget and Finance. The parties agree to budget and finance provisions for 

costs incurred by or in connection with the operations of the Regional Major 

Crimes Team (RMCT) in the following particulars: 

a. All costs shall be incurred by individual contributing agencies for the first three 

days of an investigation where the RMCT is activated. Agencies involved in a 

prolonged investigation, more than three-day duration, will meet and decide 

agency allocation of costs. Those agencies not in agreement with this 

decision may withdraw from the investigation. 

b. Each individual agency shall maintain a tracking of direct and other costs. 

This data shall be used to calculate a year-end cost of RMCT services. 

c. Costs are to be calculated as spelled out in the Master Interlocal Mutual Law 

Enforcement Assistance Agreement. 

8. Policy Development and Review. A policy group made up of a representative 

from each participating agency will coordinate the development of policies 

applicable to the Regional Major Crimes Team, subject to review and approval by 

all participating agencies. At a minimum, such policies shall address: 

a. Designation of agency of primary responsibility for each investigation; 

b. Media relations; 

c. Duration of RMCT activation; and 

d. Yearly review of the RMCT and this Agreement to determine if the unit is 

meeting the needs of the agencies involved and the community. 

Following policy ratification, the policy group shall forward copies of all policies to 

all participating agencies for inclusion into their respective department manuals. 

9. Law Enforcement Council (LEC) responsibilities: 

a. The LEC is responsible for an annual review of the team's performance; 

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b. The LEC is required to recommend policy changes and changes to the 

agreement to the LEC. (ONLY changes to the agreement that do not affect an 

individual agencies staffing or resource allocation can be made to the 

agreement by an LEC vote.) 

c. Any changes to the policy of the RMCT shall be approved and ratified by a 

majority vote of the LEC where two-thirds of the membership is present. 

10. Liability and Hold Harmless. Liability and indemnification shall be as spelled 

out in the Master Interlocal Mutual Law Enforcement Assistance Agreement. 

11. Policy and Discipline. Each officer assigned to the RMCT is required to follow 

the written policy of the agency which commissioned him or her as to their 

conduct as a law enforcement officer and the commissioning agency shall be 

responsible for any disciplinary action to be taken against said individual for a 

breach of policy. 

12. Administrative Process. The Administrative Investigation Team for the involved 

agency is not bound by some of the same investigative restrictions that apply to 

RMCT criminal investigators. The employer - employee relationship and the 

personnel rules affecting administrative process is guided by the commissioning 

agency’s local contracts, Civil Service provisions, and policy / procedures. 

13. Case Review. Either the incident commander and/or the RMCT supervisor are 

responsible for reviewing all cases investigated by the RMCT and shall review all 

submittals to prosecuting authorities requesting charges. 

14. Dispute Resolution. Any disputes that arise from the engagement of the major 

crimes team that cannot be resolved through the incident command, chain of 

command, shall be forwarded through to the Chief Law enforcement officer for 

the agency of jurisdiction and the Chief Law enforcement officer for the major 

crimes team. 

15. Termination and Disposition of Property. Any party may terminate 

participation hereunder by providing 90 days prior written notice to the other 

parties. 

16. Choice of Law. The parties agree that, in connection with their activities under 

this Interlocal Agreement, they shall comply with all applicable federal, state and 

local laws or regulations and, further, that this Interlocal Agreement shall be 

construed according to the laws of the State of Washington. 

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