Inslee names members of policing and social justice task force

A combination of law enforcement officials, community activists, religious leaders and members of minority groups were named by Gov. Jay Inslee to a task force on policing and social justice.

Among the two dozen members announced Monday are two from Spokane: The Rev. Walter Kendricks of Morning Star Baptist Church, who is also a member of the state Commission on African American Affairs; and Ben Krauss, a former police officer and director of diversity and inclusion at Gonzaga Prep who is now a principal with Adaptive Training Solutions.

Inslee said the task force’s goal is to develop reforms and coordinate with legislators for proposals to improve policing that could be introduced in the upcoming session. It includes police executives from metropolitan areas and small towns as well as groups that represent officers; Black Lives Matter, the NAACP and Disability Rights Washington; and people he described as “families who have lost loved ones.” 

“This work will inform legislation and help chart a path towards addressing some of these systemic and extremely harmful practices and policies that have impacted communities of color for generations,” he said in a news release announcing task force members.