The Week Ahead
(October 28, 2024)

WSLCB - JET - JEET - LGBTQ - Kim Potter - Duante Wright

On Tuesday, WSLCB Enforcement and Education staff would provide an overview of their legislatively mandated Education Program, which may be a model for other jurisdictions.

Here’s a look at cannabis-related policymaking events on the calendar in the week ahead.

Monday October 28th

At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.

Tuesday October 29th

WSLCB - Board Caucus

On Tuesday at 10am PT, the weekly Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) Board Caucus was scheduled to recur.

  • [ Event Details ]
  • On Tuesday October 22nd, Research Program staff provided a presentation on Enforcement and Education licensed premise checks at nightlife establishments.
    • The data analysis and report was prompted by the participation of WSLCB officers in the City of Seattle Joint Enforcement Team (JET) action at LGBTQ+ nightclubs in the Capitol Hill area in January 2024.
    • The analysis of WSLCB enforcement data for signals of biased policing found no indications that LGBTQ+ establishments were disproportionately targeted.  However, staff highlighted “orange flags” showing:
      • “Locations with greater percent Black populations and lower median incomes received more premise checks compared with counties with lower percent Black population and higher median income.
      • “Counties with lower median income were at higher risk for recorded non-compliance.
      • ”Supplemental analyses found counties with greater Black populations and lower median incomes received fewer complaints.”
  • On Wednesday October 23rd during the bi-weekly Board Meeting, calls for the resignation or firing of Enforcement and Education Director Chandra Wax were renewed after the near hiring of Kim Potter, a White police officer convicted of the manslaughter of an unarmed Black man while training police officers in Minnesota, to train WSLCB officers on the use of lethal force.
  • At the Board Caucus on Tuesday, WSLCB Enforcement Division Education Manager Matt McCallum planned to present an overview of the Education Program which the Washington State Legislature mandated the agency create following years of complaints from cannabis licensees about problematic and punitive policing.  In an internal email seen by Cannabis Observer, Wax indicated, “With the addition of the Liquor Compliance Consultants, the program looks a little different and this will inform the Board and give you an opportunity to ask questions,” a reference to the expansion of the Education Program to include compliance consultants for alcohol licensees.
    • During the caucus presentation on October 22nd, Research Program Manager Sarah Okey noted that the City of Seattle Joint Enforcement Team had changed its name to the Joint Enforcement and Education Team (JEET).  Board Member Jim Vollendroff asked and Wax confirmed the agency was no longer participating in actions with the Team but still offered “entirely administrative” advice on their “rules of engagement” and “naming,” which Board Chair David Postman referred to as “the rebranding” (audio - 3m, video - TVW, video - WSLCB).

Wednesday October 30th

At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.

Thursday October 31st

At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.

Friday November 1st

At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.