KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Keene City Councilor Catherine Workman is calling for a review and update of a 2019 interagency Memorandum of Understanding governing cooperation among local law enforcement agencies, saying the agreement has not been revised in more than six years and should reflect current laws and best practices.

Workman raised the issue during Thursday night’s Finance, Organization and Personnel Committee meeting, emphasizing that her request is “not about immigration” or questioning the professionalism of local officers. Instead, she described the effort as a matter of governance and risk management.

“The question is not whether these partnerships should exist,” Workman told the committee. “It is whether the written agreement that governs them reflects today’s legal environment, operational realities and accountability standards.”

The MOU, developed in 2019, outlines mutual aid and cooperation among area police departments. Workman said changes in state law, evolving incident command standards, expanded multi-agency operations and updated risk management practices warrant a fresh review. She argued that the document should include clearer operational language, defined roles and authority, reporting requirements, a regular review schedule and stronger transparency provisions.

Her request follows recent public discussion surrounding an Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest carried out in Keene by the Troy Police Department. While some residents have questioned whether the action was conducted under the mutual aid agreement, Workman reiterated that her proposal is not aimed at immigration enforcement.

Keene Police Chief Steve Stewart said the Troy Police Department participates in the federal program that  allows certain local law enforcement agencies to carry out civil immigration warrant enforcement as federal agents. He said that authority is separate from the mutual aid agreement signed by local chiefs under state law.

Stewart told the committee that the MOU was reviewed at a recent Cheshire County chiefs meeting and that those in attendance agreed the agreement pertains to motor vehicle and criminal offenses under state law — not civil immigration enforcement. He said there was no appetite among the chiefs to amend or re-sign the document.

City Attorney Amanda Palmieri explained that municipal police chiefs — not the city council or city manager — to enter into such mutual aid agreements. As a result, she said, the council does not have authority to dictate changes to its terms.

Still, several residents spoke in support of reviewing the agreement and making it more accessible to the public. Some raised concerns about jurisdictional clarity, potential legal liability tied to federal immigration enforcement and the importance of transparency.

In response, city officials said the 2019 MOU will be posted on the city’s website to ensure public access. Meeting minutes reflecting the discussion will also be shared with local police leadership.

The committee ultimately voted to recommend that Workman’s request for a review and update of the 2019 interagency Memorandum of Understanding be accepted as informational.