NEWS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Quinlan, Communications Manager
(206) 613-7656
Email: david.quinlan@cjtc.wa.gov
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MONICA ALEXANDER TO RETIRE AFTER TRANSFORMING PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING IN WASHINGTON
BURIEN, Wash. — Feb. 19, 2026 — The Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission announced that Executive Director Monica Hunter Alexander will retire March 31, 2026, following more than two decades of public service and nearly seven years of leadership at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission.
Alexander joined the Commission in 2019 as the advanced training division manager, became deputy director in 2020, and was appointed executive director in June 2021. During her tenure, she led one of the most significant expansions in the agency’s history.
Under her leadership, WSCJTC added three regional training academies, expanding access and allowing recruits to train closer to home. She eliminated academy wait times that once delayed new officers four to six months before starting training. She also strengthened certification, auditing and evaluation practices, and positioned Washington as a national leader in public safety training, culminating in national accreditation through the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training.
Alexander guided the agency through significant legislative and operational changes while maintaining uninterrupted academy operations and meeting unprecedented demand for training.
Before leading WSCJTC, Alexander served more than 20 years with the Washington State Patrol. She became the first black woman promoted to sergeant, lieutenant, and captain in the agency’s history. As captain of the Office of Government and Media Relations, she helped secure funding for the state’s sexual assault kit tracking system and toxicology labs, and supported research and reporting on missing Native American women.
The Washington State Senate honored her career and legacy in Senate Resolution 8667.
“Serving the people of Washington has been the honor of my life,” Alexander said. “I am proud of the strong foundation we built to support public safety professionals and the communities they serve.”
WSCJTC will announce transition plans in the coming weeks.
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About WSCJTC
Established in 1974, the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission provides training to law enforcement, corrections officers and other public safety professionals. The Commission holds national accreditation through the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training. Its mission is to establish certification and training standards so criminal justice professionals have the knowledge and skills to protect the communities they serve.