Additional Officers to be Assigned to Federal Task Force

Yakima Police Chief Dominic Rizzi says two new officers requested in the 2015 Yakima city budget would be assigned to a federal task force created earlier this year to battle area gangs and drug traffickers.

Rizzi says the officers would carry federal credentials.

We want two full-time task force officers in the program. And what that does is it gives us more resources we can utilize with the FBI, ATF and Homeland Security.

The chief wants to increase the local participation in the federal system. He says the officers would have the authority to work with the federal prosecutor to request charges in specific cases, giving more power to the Yakima Police Department in solving major crimes.

The two officers are part of the more than $70 million proposed city budget. A final hearing on the budget is set for 6:30 Tuesday night at Yakima City Hall.