City Council To Feds, 'We Need Help' With Gang Problem
YAKIMA -- Cops called it an execution: 18 year-old Daniel Rivera shot at least 10 times in front of a home on pleasant avenue over the weekend.
We told you about it then. In fact, we seem to tell you every day about the violence stemming from Yakima's gang problem. Lawmakers last session didn't hear Yakima's pleas for new laws aimed at battling gangs. Yet, despite those pleas, despite all the media coverage, the problem may be that the public doesn't get it.
"It's amazing. It's amazing. The phone number we put on, we have been putting out to the public is 2-1-1. The 2-1-1 operators were overwhelmed with phone calls, mothers who wanted to know, where do I go for help? How do I get my son out of a gang? How can you help me?" said Deputy Mayor Kathy Coffey
And that's why the city is calling out legislators all over the state.
"We need to meet with them and say, we can't do anymore we need your help. Get on the phone. Tell the FBI we need them here now!"
That means bringing programs like Safe Streets to Yakima, which would pay for equipment and added patrols. State Attorney General, Rob McKenna insists the solution will come with new laws and a tougher stance on anything that even looks like it's connected to gangs and gang violence.
"All citizens should remind their elected representatives that the first and most important role of government is to provide for public safety. And the state hasn't been doing that adequately for years," McKenna said.
"I can talk to federal agencies and urge them to step up and help Yakima with more FBI agents, more DEA, more ATF agents."
Until that happens, the signal from Yakima appears quite clear: it's time to send in the reinforcements.
We told you about it then. In fact, we seem to tell you every day about the violence stemming from Yakima's gang problem. Lawmakers last session didn't hear Yakima's pleas for new laws aimed at battling gangs. Yet, despite those pleas, despite all the media coverage, the problem may be that the public doesn't get it.
"It's amazing. It's amazing. The phone number we put on, we have been putting out to the public is 2-1-1. The 2-1-1 operators were overwhelmed with phone calls, mothers who wanted to know, where do I go for help? How do I get my son out of a gang? How can you help me?" said Deputy Mayor Kathy Coffey
And that's why the city is calling out legislators all over the state.
"We need to meet with them and say, we can't do anymore we need your help. Get on the phone. Tell the FBI we need them here now!"
That means bringing programs like Safe Streets to Yakima, which would pay for equipment and added patrols. State Attorney General, Rob McKenna insists the solution will come with new laws and a tougher stance on anything that even looks like it's connected to gangs and gang violence.
"All citizens should remind their elected representatives that the first and most important role of government is to provide for public safety. And the state hasn't been doing that adequately for years," McKenna said.
"I can talk to federal agencies and urge them to step up and help Yakima with more FBI agents, more DEA, more ATF agents."
Until that happens, the signal from Yakima appears quite clear: it's time to send in the reinforcements.
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