Emphasis Patrols Slowing Yakima Drivers Weekly

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.

The reason for the patrols? Just look around when you're driving

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. 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 were busy stopping drivers last week

Officers are finding a lot of drivers who aren't obeying traffic laws. In fact during the week of October 16 through October 22 police made 1,187 traffic stops and issued 539 citations to drivers. During the week police investigated 37 collisions and 17 crashes directly the result of drivers not stopping for a red light. 8 people were arrested for DUI.
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 where traffic is slowed to 25 mph in some areas of the road work. Seely says the patrols will continue not only into the fall and winter and but also into the new year.