AIRWAY HEIGHTS, Wash. — Changes are coming to the Spokane County Raceway in Airway Heights, but changes that won't affect the public.
Instead the changes will impact the Spokane County Sheriff's Office on how often they can train at the raceway.
A rumor went around on social media that Spokane County Raceway may be closing, or selling, but after talking to the manager, KREM 2 confirmed that the rumors are not true.
The rumor stemmed from a Facebook post on the raceway's page. They're working on a proposal to allow law enforcement more time to train on the track.
The current contract said that the Spokane County Sheriff's Office can use the raceway for 40 days each year. Raceway Manager Craig Smith said they want to increase the number of days for law enforcement from 40 to three days a week, all year long.
Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said the additional time on the track will be a great benefit to their training.
"The track gives us the ability to really hone those skill sets. So when you're out on the street, you actually have done that skill in training and do it on the street," said Knezovich.
The sheriff's office uses the track for their emergency vehicle operations control training.
"From the slow courses, which is how not to hit something when your parking, to pit maneuvers, which is where we're lining up to take action to take a vehicle out and get that pursuit stopped," said Knezovich.
Sheriff Knezovich said it's the same type of training that was put to use during this high speed chase on Interstate-90 that ended near Stateline.
"If your training is built in a such a way where you're trained to meet those type of scenarios, then that type of scenario will go much better for the officer or deputy involved," Knezovich said.
The raceway manager and Knezovich have agreed that more time on the track is good for law enforcement and the community.
The proposal to increase the time is expected to go before county commissioners in November.