BySenators Lovick, Holy, Bateman, Cleveland, Dhingra, Dozier, Fortunato, Hansen, Hasegawa, Kauffman, Krishnadasan, Liias, Lovelett, Nobles, Orwall, Pedersen, Robinson, Salomon, Shewmake, Slatter, Stanford, Trudeau, Valdez, Wagoner, Warnick, Wellman, C. Wilson, and Saldaña

WHEREAS, On March 31, 2026, Executive Director Monica Hunter-Alexander of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission will be retiring; and

WHEREAS, Executive Director Alexander served the public for over two decades in the Washington State Patrol. While protecting our state and its residents she became a KOMO-TV traffic reporter and raised a child. Executive Director Alexander, through her decades-long career, placed number one on the sergeant's exam in 2003, and became the first Black female to be promoted to sergeant, lieutenant, and captain with the Washington State Patrol; and

WHEREAS, Executive Director Alexander has been paramount in many policy advancements for our state as the captain of the Office of Government and Media Relations for the Washington State Patrol, including securing wage increases for officers in the Washington State Patrol, toxicology lab funding, the sexual assault kit tracking system and funding, and the missing Native American women research and report; and

WHEREAS, Executive Director Alexander has received honors and awards from the National Black Police Association and the Black Law Enforcement Association of Washington's 2019 Legacy Award; and

WHEREAS, Executive Director Alexander holds a bachelor's degree in political science from The Evergreen State College, and was appointed to its board of trustees by Governor Jay Inslee in 2017; and

WHEREAS, Executive Director Alexander began her service with the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission in 2019 as the advanced training division manager, became the deputy director in 2020, and started her tenure as the executive director in June of 2021; and

WHEREAS, Executive Director Alexander is a trailblazer in centering community in law enforcement. Before Executive Director Alexander took her role, Washington only housed two training facilities. Thanks to her leadership, our state has added three regional training academies in just four years, helping officers in training stay close to home and allowing a broader pool of officers the opportunity to serve their communities; and

WHEREAS, When Executive Director Alexander took her position, the average wait time for newly hired officers was between four and six months to start training. That wait time today is nonexistent. All trainees now experience increased access to certification and training, especially those in small and rural agencies; and

WHEREAS, At the heart of policing is culture. Executive Director Alexander changed the culture of policing in Washington; and

WHEREAS, Executive Director Alexander's retirement leaves us a legacy. A legacy that teaches law enforcement to be representative and supportive of our great communities across Washington. Our state is ever greater for her service;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate honor and celebrate the contributions of retired Captain and Executive Director Monica Alexander and her service to the state of Washington.