Council renews mutual-aid dispatch agreement with Peoria for emergency continuity

The Surprise City Council unanimously approved an intergovernmental agreement Tuesday with the city of Peoria to provide a temporary dispatch location and operational support for Surprise Police Department communications in the event Surprise’s dispatch center becomes inoperable. Police Chief Evan Beecher told the council the renewal provides continuity-of-operations coverage, authorizes use of Peoria equipment and facilities temporarily, and contains no charge to Surprise. Chief Beecher said Peoria’s agreement had already been approved on Peoria’s side in June and that the renewal completes the reciprocal arrangement. Vice Mayor Hastings confirmed the IGA is a supplement — not a replacement — for Surprise’s dispatch operations. Council members described the agreement as an example of regional collaboration that strengthens emergency response capacity across West Valley agencies. Why it matters: The IGA provides an immediate operational alternative for emergency communications during outages or disasters, ensuring 911 and dispatch functions can continue by temporarily relocating operations to Peoria. What happens next: The agreement is in place; no operational change is expected unless a continuity event occurs; the city will coordinate procedures with Peoria’s communications staff.