CARTER COUNTY, Okla. -- Two Carter County law enforcement agencies are joining forces to keep the peace. Ardmore police now have a new partner against crime. Robin Beal has more.

The law enforcement structure can be a little confusing at times in Oklahoma, depending on whose land you are actually on. Ardmore city commissioners approved a plan to do what is known as "cross deputization" Monday night.

"Cross deputization" is where two police agencies do a kind of merger allowing one another to actively operate in each other's jurisdictions.

It’s nothing new. Smaller departments have been doing it for years, as a way of adding manpower on the streets when the need arises.

Now Ardmore police and the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse officers have the option to work in concert.

But why does Ardmore need to team up with Lighthorse? Consider this -- when the need for police action arises at the local Chickasaw casino, Ardmore police were previously limited as to what action they could take. With a cross-deputization agreement, they can more quickly resolve situations.

"This is something that we really need. The same goes for the other side. The Lighthorse police are very well trained, very well equipped, and they're a very quality law enforcement agency, and we can benefit from their agency and they can benefit from ours," Chief David Leonardo, Ardmore Police Department, said.

Officials say the new partnership is a new way for two departments to look out for one another.