SPOKANE, Wash. — The community is continuing to mourn the loss of a veteran Spokane County Sheriff’s Office sergeant who died in the line of duty on Saturday morning.
Sergeant Kenneth Salas, 59, died after being struck by a motorcycle while helping remove hay bales that had fallen off a truck on eastbound I-90 near Four Lakes.
His death marks the first line-of-duty death in Spokane County since 2003, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Salas had served in law enforcement in Spokane County for 34 years and was scheduled to retire at the end of September.
Community members and fellow law enforcement officers are remembering Sergeant Salas and paying respects at the Law Enforcement Memorial outside Spokane’s Public Safety Building.
Sheriff John Nowels said Salas’ decades of service touched countless lives in the community.
“You can’t work somewhere for 34 years without influencing thousands of people,” Nowels said.
Many in the community described Sergeant Salas as a friend to everyone and someone others could depend on. Colleagues remembered him as an officer who consistently showed up for others throughout his career.
Nowels said Salas embodied the best qualities of law enforcement.
“He was just always somebody who got in and was willing to do the work. And, he was a great personality. He was the nicest man that you could ever hope to meet. Willing to do anything for anybody,” Nowels said. “He ended up having to pay a price that no one should have to pay just by doing what was right and stopping to help somebody.”
The loss has deeply affected the tight-knit law enforcement community.
“You know, we’re a family in a lot of ways. When you serve with people, you bleed and sweat together, cry together,” Nowels said.
Salas began his law enforcement career as a Spokane County corrections officer before joining the sheriff’s office as a patrol deputy. Throughout his career, he served in many different assignments, including school resource deputy, traffic unit, and the emergency operations team.
“He and I spent a lot of time out on traffic collisions and reconstructing them and investigating them. And Ken was always there for his men and women that served with him,” Nowels said.
Beyond his service to Spokane County, Salas also served his country, spending more than two decades in the United States Air Force. His dual commitment to community and country exemplified his dedication to public service.
“Ken lost his life doing what he signed up to do and being a law enforcement officer in our community,” Nowels said.
Law enforcement agencies across Washington state have posted tributes on social media honoring Salas’ life and service.
“It’s a tough day for our community and for law enforcement,” Nowels said.
The Sheriff’s Office is working with the Behind the Badge Foundation and the Salas family to make funeral arrangements. Community members wishing to honor Salas can visit the law enforcement memorial.
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