### Meeting Overview The Bellingham City Council's Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity Committee met on December 9, 2024, to review a proposed Memorandum of Understanding between the Bellingham Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The brief informational meeting lasted only about 5 minutes and focused on establishing a formal partnership for major criminal investigations while maintaining local policy compliance. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Memorandum of Understanding (MOU):** A formal agreement between two or more agencies that outlines how they will work together, their responsibilities, and operational procedures. **Task Force Officer (TFO):** A local law enforcement officer who is designated to work with federal agencies on joint investigations while maintaining their local employment. **Cellular Analysis/Geofence Warrants:** Law enforcement tools that use cell phone data to track movements and identify people in specific geographic areas during crimes. **Deputization:** The process of granting federal law enforcement authority to local officers, allowing them to operate under federal jurisdiction. **Keep Washington Working Act (Senate Bill 5497):** State legislation that limits local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. **Policy 417:** Bellingham Police Department's internal policy regarding immigration violations and cooperation with federal immigration authorities. **Northwest Border Transnational Organized Crime Western Hemisphere Task Force (NWBTWTF):** The specific federal task force that would work with Bellingham Police on major criminal investigations. **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI):** The federal law enforcement agency that investigates major crimes and national security threats. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Hollie Huthman | Committee Chair, Council Member (Second Ward) | | Hannah Stone | Committee Member, Council Member (First Ward) | | Edwin H. "Skip" Williams | Committee Member, Council Member (Fourth Ward) | | Rebecca Mertzig | Bellingham Police Chief | ### Background Context This MOU represents a significant step in formalizing cooperation between local and federal law enforcement. The agreement would specifically focus on technology-driven investigations, particularly cellular analysis that has proven crucial in solving major crimes like homicides. Chief Mertzig referenced a recent Boulevard Park homicide that was solved using geofence warrants—the same type of technology this partnership would enhance. The timing is notable as it comes amid broader national conversations about local-federal cooperation in law enforcement. The agreement explicitly maintains Bellingham's commitment to its immigration policies, ensuring local officers working with the FBI will still follow city policies that limit immigration enforcement cooperation. The partnership offers both investigative benefits and cost savings. By sharing resources and expertise with the FBI, the police department can access advanced technological capabilities that might otherwise be too expensive for a city of Bellingham's size to maintain independently. ### What Happened — The Short Version Chief Mertzig presented the MOU as an informational item, explaining it would designate a Bellingham cellular analysis detective as a liaison with the FBI's Northwest Border Transnational Organized Crime Western Hemisphere Task Force. The partnership focuses on investigating major crimes including drug trafficking, money laundering, robbery, violent crimes, and financial fraud. Council Member Stone asked about potential conflicts between federal and local authority if tensions arose in the future. Chief Mertzig explained this would be a part-time arrangement with local officers maintaining primary allegiance to local policies and community values. The committee received the information without taking any formal action, as none was required. ### What to Watch Next - The MOU will likely be formalized without further council action since this was informational only - Future reports on how the partnership affects case outcomes and cost savings - Any policy clarifications that might emerge regarding the balance between federal and local authority ---