Officers Disciplined for Improperly Accessing Records

Five Yakima police employees have been disciplined for snooping on reports detailing a domestic violence call involving a high-ranking commander.

Documents obtained by the Yakima Herald-Republic showed the penalties handed down a month ago ranged from a two-day suspension to verbal reprimands.

Two officers and three clerks were accused of improperly accessing reports by Yakima County sheriff's deputies detailing a domestic violence call last June at the home of Capt. Rod Light. Deputies determined the incident, based on a third-hand report, was unfounded.

The employees admitted they had accessed the deputies' reports, using a records management system jointly used by Yakima Valley law enforcement agencies.

A crime lab supervisor received a two-day suspension. Two evidence clerks received verbal warnings. A police sergeant received a written reprimand while a detective got a verbal reprimand.