Ashland Police Department now allowed to initiate Law Enforcement action outside of city limits

This article has been updated to include statements from Chief Young

By: Tara Blue
In a recent Ashland Board of Aldermen meeting, Chief Scott Young of the Ashland Police Department (APD) requested the city approve a mutual aid agreement with the Boone County Sheriff’s Department (BCSD) which would allow APD to initiate law enforcement action outside the city limits.

Young says that his officers sometimes encounter residents driving at excessive speeds close to or right outside the city limits and are unable to initiate a traffic stop due to questions of jurisdictional boundaries, specifically down 63, Route Y, Route H, and Route M.

Young says the City of Columbia already uses a similar agreement with the BCSD. Young says APD regularly interacts with the BCSD and the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP), and that under current state law, APD may assist them if requested.

Under the mutual aid agreement, the need for the BCSD and the MSHP to request assistance is eliminated.

Young says “though allowed by the agreement, Ashland officers will not be routinely initiating law enforcement action outside of the city.  This simply allows Ashland officers to have clear law enforcement authority when assisting other agencies in our county. Jurisdictional responsibilities and boundaries have not changed. We are very fortunate to have excellent relationships with our partner agencies and we feel this agreement aids in our mission to provide effective services to our community.”

Young also says the agreement reduces the city’s liability as it removes the need for an officer to be 100% certain that unlawful activity occurred within the city limits.

The board approved the resolution unanimously.