Intergovernmental relations is a unique agreement among different levels of government so that they can work as a team on a grand scale to help address an issue or issues that is of major concern to all parties involved. As part of the agreement the lower authority has to usually meet the higher authorities’ conditions and satisfy certain prerequisites in order to receive revenue or resources from them.
In Baldacci’s fictional account the initial presence of upper government was resented and turned down but as time progressed and the chain of events required resources the Chief did not clearly have. He then allowed or even sought the skills of the army special agent to ensure or give insight to a situation that would not have received the attention he imparts at that skill level. He was also able to use his sources to follow up on leads or obtain information that would not have been possible at the city level. Even then there were road blocks as he tried to research further which led to officials of a higher rank becoming involved and bringing his investigation to a halt.
Eventually all three agencies city, state, and federal would have to combine efforts if they wished to curtail and apprehend the parties involved. That example is a direct link to Shafritz et al reference to the structure of intergovernmental relations, whereas Puller, Landry, and the Chief of Police all had to submit to the plan of the higher branch of government and could no longer carry out individual efforts but had to combine efforts to carry out the greater good of the people.
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