Spokane County commissioners may dip into reserves to save jobs and offset some of the most painful cuts in their 2011 general fund budget. Commissioners Mark Richard and Bonnie Mager called for preserving safety-related programs by reducing reserves from 10 percent of the $136.8 million general fund to perhaps 8 percent.

The deputy under investigation for shooting a Spokane Valley pastor was sued in California after he shot the dog of a woman who was performing CPR on her dying husband. Deputy Brian Hirzel remains under investigation for the Aug. 25 shooting that killed 74-year-old Wayne Scott Creach at Creach’s nursery business at 14208 E. Fourth Ave.

The family of Pastor Wayne Scott Creach said Friday that a key piece of evidence in his death has been compromised – the squad car driven by the Spokane County sheriff’s deputy who shot him.

The autopsy report of pastor Wayne Scott Creach has been turned over to Spokane County Prosecutor Steve Tucker, but it does little to answer many of the family’s questions. Creach’s son, Alan Creach, said the autopsy revealed no indication of a baton strike that Deputy Brian Hirzel claims he made during the Aug. 25 encounter in which Hirzel shot Creach in the parking lot of his business at 14208 E. Fourth Ave.

Investigators probing officer-involved shootings will no longer be required to wait at least 72 hours before interviewing Spokane County Sheriff’s Office employees. Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich announced the change Thursday, ending a departmental practice common at many law enforcement agencies but seen as contradictory and confusing outside of police circles.

Investigators probing officer-involved shootings will no longer be required to wait at least 72 hours before interviewing Spokane County Sheriff’s Office employees.

The son of pastor Wayne Scott Creach, killed by a Spokane County sheriff’s deputy last month, urged the Spokane Valley City Council on Tuesday to change its police services contract with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.

The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office released the 911 and police dispatch tapes Monday documenting Deputy Brian Hirzel’s transmissions surrounding his fatal shooting of Spokane Valley pastor Wayne Scott Creach. The transcript is largely as Spokane police officials had previously described. Hirzel calls “code 6,” which means he needs help. A few seconds later he says: “I’ve got shots fired, one down, shots fired.” A few seconds after that, Hirzel says: “respond medics,” making the same request a second time before a dispatcher advised that medics were en route.

The investigation into last month's police shooting of a Spokane Valley pastor and businessman has been completed and turned over to county prosecutors for review, authorities said today. Investigators have made no recommendation about whether they feel the shooting of Pastor Wayne Scott Creach on his own property by Spokane County sheriff's Deputy Brian Hirzel was justified or whether criminal charges should be considered.