CRISFIELD — The Crisfield Police Department now has a memorandum of understanding with the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office when it responds to calls in the county — something city attorney Michael Sullivan said the CPD has been trying to have implemented for many years.

Chief David Dalfonso said his officers are often called to respond to locations outside the city limits as the closest available law enforcers. With this MOU, he said it protects the city from liability, and also helps with prosecution if a crime has occurred, including providing arrest powers.

“All police officers in the state of Maryland have the ability to perform police functions outside of their jurisdictions, but they are very limited, and they also have specific requirements,” the chief said. And because Somerset Central which dispatches the officers is not a branch of the Sheriff’s Office, the MOU clears up any ambiguity.

The MOU was approved unanimously by the City Council at its March regular meeting with Vice President Eric Banks saying when making the motion that this benefits those outside of the city which he considers part of Crisfield.

Mr. Sullivan credited the work of Chief Dalfonso in getting this done, “and how important this document is” for the city and the officers.