Board approves five‑year mutual‑aid IGA with Navajo Nation Police
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Summary
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a five‑year intergovernmental agreement with the Navajo Nation Police Department to provide cooperative law‑enforcement operations and voluntary mutual aid for emergencies and requested responses.
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 10 unanimously approved a five‑year intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Navajo Nation Police Department to allow cooperative law‑enforcement operations and voluntary mutual aid within each party's jurisdiction.
The board approved the agreement after a presentation from the sheriff explaining the IGA’s scope. The sheriff said the agreement is "the first agreement that we know of at this point in time that we've actually ever had that covers more than just a single property," and described recent cooperative responses, including a SWAT deployment in Cameron and assistance in the search for missing 8‑year‑old Molly Boone.
Why it matters: Supervisors emphasized that mutual‑aid agreements help address officer shortages and funding constraints in rural and reservation communities by allowing coordinated emergency responses.
The sheriff stressed limits on authority under the IGA, saying it "does not give us cross certification to be able to enforce private law. It's just to be able to act as peace officers on the Navajo Nation," and that the agreement "goes both ways" so Navajo Nation officers can respond off reservation when appropriate. Supervisor Judy Begay said the arrangement "really helps" because "we're short police officers" and limited in funding.
Supervisor Begay moved to approve the IGA as presented; Supervisor Lena Fowler seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Background and next steps: County staff said the model used for this agreement is being applied in negotiations with the Hopi Tribe and noted past, narrower agreements (the last one in 2018 covered the Twin Arrows property only). The motion record lists the agreement term as five years from the date of last signature; a signature date shown in the presentation was 12/21/2025. The county indicated it intends to continue mutual‑aid cooperation going forward.
The board also completed related procedural business for the Flood Control and Jail Districts during the session and had no further action on the IGA.
The board adjourned after routine calendar and planning items.
