COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) -- Joining forces to keep you safe. That's the goal of the Richland County Sheriff's Department and the City of Columbia Police Department, as the two agencies signed an agreement vowing to officially work together to fight crime.

The two agencies made the announcement Thursday morning.

After years of being pitted against each other, they say, by former administrations, Chief of Police for the City of Columbia, Randy Scott, and the Sheriff of Richland County, Leon Lott, in black and white: the two agencies will work together. The formal agreement, called a Memorandum of Understanding, signed by the chief and the sheriff, states that each agency can and should operate in each other's jurisdiction if necessary when it comes to fighting crime. If a case arises where such a partnership is questioned legally, the agreement protects the agencies.

Instead of jockeying for position and territory, the shades of blue now stand side by side, bade by badge, responding together, no matter what part of town the 9-1-1 call comes from.

Both Scott and Lott say in their combined 40 years in law enforcement, this partnership is groundbreaking. The current agreement is effective until January 2013. At which time, they will revisit to see if it's working for both departments. However, the contract may be terminated at any time by either agency.