By Tim O’Meilia

Three coastal communities signed a mutual aid agreement last month that will guarantee quick police response to calls on Hypoluxo Island during the 19 months the new East Ocean Avenue bridge is under construction in Lantana.
The agreement was ratified first by the Lantana town council, then, separately, by the South Palm Beach council members and Manalapan commissioners.
 Although written in very general terms, the pact gives officers in each of the towns the power to make arrests, give assistance and react to calls in the other two towns as if it were their own.
The practical effect is that Manalapan and South Palm Beach can respond to calls in Lantana’s area of Hypoluxo Island without waiting, if a Lantana police cruiser isn’t on the east side of the Intracoastal Waterway.
“Technically, we already have a mutual aid agreement but this will allow police to act and not just to respond and wait for us to get there,” said Lantana Mayor David Stewart.
Police will be guided by the rules and regulations of their own departments when answering a call in another town.
“We have a strong relationship with both departments,” Lantana Police Chief Jeff Tyson said of police and Manalapan and South Palm Beach. “This will be much more efficient especially if we’re on the other side of the bridge and it’s going to take us 15 minutes to get there.”
The agreement can be canceled by any of the partners by simply notifying the others. Not wishing to take any chances the bridge won’t be opened by October 2013 as scheduled, the pact doesn’t expire until July 31, 2014.

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