Vote Yes for Safety: $35M Radio System Proposal in Yakima County

A new spokesman for Proposition 1 called Radio Safe Yakima knows first hand how important a new radio system would be to law enforcement. Deputy Travis Watkins was severely injured in a domestic violence incident in Terrace Heights in 2022 and remains on medical leave. He was shot by a suspect who was able to get on a sheriff's radio and not allow others to communicate with dispatchers delaying help getting to Watkins.

A NEW SYSTEM WOULD ALLOW DISPATCHERS TO KEEP CONTROL OF RADIO FREQUENCIES

Watkins says that wouldn't happen under a new system where dispatchers could isolate certain radio channels allowing communication to continue.
The challenge of not being on the same frequency has been problem for years in Yakima because agencies all have seperate radio systems. The new system, at a cost of $35 million will place law enforcement, firefighters and other first-responders on the same system.

LOOK FOR YOUR SPECIAL BALLOT ON APRIL 22

Yakima County Sheriff Bob Udell says the 0.2% sales tax increase will appear on the ballot April 22.
Udell says it will take up to five years to pay for the $35 million system. If voters support the sales tax increase Udell says it could take months to implement the new system which would require new infrastructure in the county and equipment upgrades to portable and mobile radio systems.

THE YAKIMA COMMISSIONERS HAVE SUPPORTED THE PROPOSED SYSTEM FOR YEARS

Yakima County Commissioners support the new system after funding a study back in 2022. Udell says the new system will save lives and increase response times in the case of a major emergency like a school shooting in the Yakima Valley.