SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — Spokane County and the surrounding community honored the life of Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Kenneth Salas with a procession and memorial service Wednesday morning, celebrating a man who dedicated more than three decades to serving others.
Salas died in the line of duty while attempting to clear a hay bale from a highway when he was struck by a motorcycle. The 34-year law enforcement veteran left behind a legacy of service that touched thousands of lives throughout Spokane County.
The memorial service drew law enforcement officers from various departments across Washington and neighboring states.
SCSO Sheriff John Nowels described Salas as a model of what the community expects from peace officers with the sheriff’s office. He said Salas embodied the values and dedication that define quality law enforcement.
“Both in uniform and out of uniform, Ken was the same man. He was a man of honor; he was a man of integrity,” said Sheriff John Nowels during the service.
Community members who knew Salas personally attended the procession to share their memories of a neighbor who consistently went above and beyond to help others.
“He was always so kind to us. When we first moved there, he would always invite us over. Our kids would go over and go swimming with their kids. He was always trying to include us in things in the neighborhood,” said Rachel Bren, Salas’ neighbor.
The procession featured agencies from across Spokane County and some from Idaho, guiding Salas’ body to the memorial service. The turnout impressed many attendees who witnessed the solidarity among first responders.
“I was amazed at the distance the vehicles came from. They were from everywhere and that shows that firemen and policemen stick together,” said Karen Ulmer, who watched the procession.
A memorial fund set up by Sheriff’s Community Oriented Policing Effort (S.C.O.P.E) is collecting donations to cover Sergeant Salas’ memorial service expenses. Any remaining funds will go directly to Sgt. Salas’ family.
If you wish to donate, you can stop by any Canopy Credit Union Branch and request to donate to the S.C.O.P.E./Sgt. Salas Memorial Fund.
Donations can also be made by scanning the QR code attached to this article or sending the funds to @SPOKANESCOPE on Venmo.
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