The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved an agreement Tuesday to enhance the sheriff’s department’s information sharing capability with federal law enforcement agencies

“[The] action will expand the county’s connectivity to the federal law enforcement partners, enhancing our ability to respond to incidents and solve crimes,” said Michael D. Antonovich, 5th District, chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

Last year, the sheriff’s department established a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security’s National Operations Center at the department’s Emergency Operations Bureau. The move Tuesday expanded the partnership to the Joint Regional Intelligence Center, a multi-jurisdiction collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies that is focused on intelligence sharing and collaboration between the agencies.  The estimated cost of the contract is $4.75 million, which is funded by a federal grant.

The Department of Homeland Security’s National Operations Center, together with other federal agencies, use visual command and control tools that are well proven during emergencies.

The partnership is designed to enhance county government’s ability to launch a more effective response to emergencies at the local level.