In a Hurry in Yakima? Watch For Police Patrols

Emphasis patrols continue in the city of Yakima until the end of the year and every week the Yakima Police Department posts updates on the number of drivers stopped and ticketed along with crashes that are investigated. What's the reason for the patrols? Last month the Yakima Police Chief wrote a letter to the community in which he says "the culture of anything goes on Yakima streets must change." More than 15 fatality crashes have been reported this year within city limits and numerous serious injury crashes involving vehicles and motorcycles.

Police are stopping hundreds of drivers every week

Capt. Jay Seely says Officers are expected to make 3 to 4 traffic stops everyday to slow drivers and send a message that traffic is being monitored in Yakima.
Officers are finding a lot of drivers who aren't obeying traffic laws. In fact during the week of October 9 through October 15 police made 761 traffic stops and issued 301 citations to drivers. During the week police investigated 38 collisions and 19 crashes directly the result of drivers not stopping for a red light.

Officers have been busy finding drivers not obeying laws

Over the last two weeks Officers have investigated a total of 24 red light crashes and made a total of 1,446 traffic stops.
Obviously the week was busy but police officials say it was a typical week of traffic enforcement in Yakima.
Now officers are concentrating on areas where road work is happening along Summitview Avenue between 40th Avenue and 48th Avenue.