Officers with the Joplin SWAT team may be able to start responding to hostage situations across state lines, if a proposed law is approved.
In most cases Missouri law enforcement officers lose their crime fighting privileges when they leave the state. But a measure in Jefferson City would change that under certain conditions.
“It’s not something that does happen every day,” says Chief Matt Stewart.
But on those rare occasions when a highly trained response is needed, Joplin police want to be ready. They’re supporting House Bill 2062 which would allow them to respond to mutual aid situations in southeast Kansas and northeast Oklahoma.
“If they had a barricade or a hostage rescue type situation they’re going to have to rely on a swat team to come out of Wichita or Topeka from the KBI – and that’s just a significant amount of time they’ve got to wait where we’re sitting here just 5 minutes away from them,” says Chief Matt Stewart.
State Rep. Bill White of Joplin is sponsoring the measure, saying it’s just common sense.
“We have equipment, we have training that a small department of 3 people wouldn’t be able to handle, they’re not going to be trained. And our people would like to have the option to be able to respond to that,” says Bill White.
The proposed law could apply to any police agencies in Jasper and Newton Counties and Cherokee, Ottawa, and Delaware Counties – if a mutual aid agreement is in place.
“And that’s really the key behind this is the safety of the officers and safety of the citizens,” says Chief Matt Stewart.
“It’s being a good neighbor and using the training we have,” says Bill White.
Right now, Joplin police have mutual aid agreements with 14 agencies in Southwest Missouri. So if the proposed law passes, any future agreements would likely mirror those.
