'Critical' upgrades to Police radios: Yakima eyes $500,000 improvements
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YAKIMA, Wash. -- Yakima Police Officers have found themselves in dangerous situations where no one hears their calls for help.
"When the struggle started, I was on the front porch of this guy's house and we're rolling off the steps," said Yakima Police Officer Kerric Ward.
An encounter that turned violent. Ward's calls for back-up weren't answered.
"Now, I'm in the middle of it. I'm with several people and my bad guy and I'm going to have to make an arrest. Well, now, I'm calling for help and I can't get it," said Ward.
No signal and he's alone.
"Could I have lost? Could it have been serious? Yes it could have," said Ward.
Ward managed to taze his attacker and make the arrest but it's not hard to find an officer who's been in a similar situation.
Officers say their portable radio devices are outdated.
Now, the city is considering an upgrade with a half-million dollars of your tax money.
It would come from the utility tax increase put in place to hire 12 new officers. The department is only halfway through the hiring.
That leaves hundreds of thousands of additional money that can only be spent on the force.
"Funding is really at minimal levels all throughout the city: police, fire, parks, streets," said Yakima Finance Director Cindy Epperson. "So, every little bit helps."
That money could also improve communication on the other end of the line at dispatch.
The city says improving technology at the 911 Center will help dispatchers communicate better during emergencies.
Police say it could mean faster response times for you during an emergency.
"I'm fighting or someone else is fighting and a citizen is in trouble and it doesn't work at that moment...that's pretty bad," said Ward.
Yakima's finance director said some of the utility tax money has already been used to buy two new police cars this year.
Council members will discuss spending the money on the radios at the next city council meeting.
"When the struggle started, I was on the front porch of this guy's house and we're rolling off the steps," said Yakima Police Officer Kerric Ward.
An encounter that turned violent. Ward's calls for back-up weren't answered.
"Now, I'm in the middle of it. I'm with several people and my bad guy and I'm going to have to make an arrest. Well, now, I'm calling for help and I can't get it," said Ward.
No signal and he's alone.
"Could I have lost? Could it have been serious? Yes it could have," said Ward.
Ward managed to taze his attacker and make the arrest but it's not hard to find an officer who's been in a similar situation.
Officers say their portable radio devices are outdated.
Now, the city is considering an upgrade with a half-million dollars of your tax money.
It would come from the utility tax increase put in place to hire 12 new officers. The department is only halfway through the hiring.
That leaves hundreds of thousands of additional money that can only be spent on the force.
"Funding is really at minimal levels all throughout the city: police, fire, parks, streets," said Yakima Finance Director Cindy Epperson. "So, every little bit helps."
That money could also improve communication on the other end of the line at dispatch.
The city says improving technology at the 911 Center will help dispatchers communicate better during emergencies.
Police say it could mean faster response times for you during an emergency.
"I'm fighting or someone else is fighting and a citizen is in trouble and it doesn't work at that moment...that's pretty bad," said Ward.
Yakima's finance director said some of the utility tax money has already been used to buy two new police cars this year.
Council members will discuss spending the money on the radios at the next city council meeting.
