Harris County utilizes the Commission-Manager form of County Government. Members of a five-member Board of Commissioners (BOC) are elected by district and serve staggered four-year terms. The Chairman is chosen by the Board on an annual basis.

The BOC fills the primary policy-making role and oversees the executive functions of the County. The day-to-day duties of the executive role are assigned to the manager. The manager is responsible for preparing the proposed budget for submission to the BOC.

The Harris County BOC is extremely proud and supportive of its emergency service personnel. The Enhanced 911 center receives and dispatches emergency calls countywide.

Harris County has five municipalities which include Hamilton, Pine Mountain, Shiloh, Waverly Hall and a portion of West Point. Each municipality is governed by an elected mayor and council.

Fire protection is provided by 12 volunteer fire departments, all of which receive a strong budgetary commitment from the BOC and the citizens of the county.

Harris County Emergency Medical Service has been repeatedly recognized as a premier department in the region. Harris County EMS serves an area of 465 square miles with 24-hour advanced emergency medical service out of four strategic locations - Hamilton EMS station (Highway 116), Mountain Hill EMS station (located in Fortson) Pine Mountain (in Public Safety Building) and Waverly Hall EMS station (located in Waverly Hall).

Harris County EMS has a full-time staff of 21 employees, and a part-time staff of 12 employees to handle a yearly call volume of approximately 2,000, and works closely with the Harris County Sheriff’s Department and the Harris County Volunteer Fire Departments. Harris County EMS has issued 23 automatic external defibrillators to the Sheriff’s Department and three to Harris County’s volunteer fire departments.

The Harris County Sheriff's Department is the chief law enforcement agency for the county, and each of the five county municipalities has its own police department. The cooperative effort of the county’s law enforcement agencies is a key reason for the low crime rate that contributes strongly to the quality of life enjoyed by both residents of and visitors to Harris County.

Harris County also provides animal control and shelter, door-to-door garbage collection, a library and branch, planning and zoning, building code and soil erosion enforcement, building permits, subdivision regulations, sign ordinance, development authority, and public improvement authority.

A public health department and senior center also serve the citizens of Harris County.