Yakima's police chief says five of his officers could be in trouble for improper use of the department's records system.

Chief Dominic Rizzi Jr. tells the Yakima Herald-Republic that he has launched an internal investigation.

The five officers reportedly used a records system the department shares with the sheriff's office to find information about an unsubstantiated domestic violence call involving a top police commander, Capt. Rod Light.

Rizzi says officers are barred from accessing the database for personal use, and he wants to send a message to the rest of the department. He declined to name the officers or say what punishment they could face.

According to documents the newspaper obtained through a public records request, a woman called the sheriff's office on June 29 to report that Light's wife had taken refuge in a neighbor's home because Light had assaulted her. But Light, his wife, and the neighbor all denied there had been any assault and said it was simply an argument.

Rizzi says he hopes to stamp out the rumor-mongering that has plagued the department in the past.

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