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Board Members
Holt Widhalm
Holt Widhalm has been an FOP member since 2005 and the Spokane Lodge President since 2012. He has over 20 years of law enforcement experience and currently works for the Spokane Police Department. Holt has been active in many aspects of the FOP, including legislative affairs, recruitment, and the peer assistance group. He is always ready to help a fellow law enforcement officer in need and understands the importance of having resources available for them when they need it most.
What does Holt like most about being a law enforcement officer?
“If you take away the politics of law enforcement, this profession is very rewarding. It always amazes me the number of people that approach law enforcement to thank them for their service. Sometimes it’s people you least expect. There is nothing like the feeling you get when someone you arrested in the past tells you how you turned their lives around. You don’t usually hear about that in the news. I can’t thank the public enough for their support of our law enforcement.”
Jim Sjothun
Jim Sjothun began his law enforcement career right after getting out of the Navy and joined the Webster County (MO) Sheriffs Office as a dispatcher/jailer in 1976. He transferred to the Marshfield, MO Police Department as a patrol officer before moving to Spokane and joining the Airway Heights Police Department and graduated from the Spokane Police Academy in June 1979. He became a patrol officer for the Medical Lake Police Department in December 1979, was promoted to Sergeant in 1982 and Chief of Police in 1999. He retired from active law enforcement in 2002 but has remained actively involved in the Fraternal Order of Police.
Jim joined the FOP in 1997 and was a charter member and President of West Plains Lodge #11. In 1998 he was elected as the Sergeant-At-Arms for the Washington State Lodge and then served as east side Vice President. West Plains Lodge #11 merged with Spokane Lodge #20 and Jim has served on the executive board of Spokane Lodge #20 as the Vice President for the past several years.
Dan Estrada
Dan Began his career in Law Enforcement in 1996 at age 15 as a Cadet Explorer in California, once he turned 20 ½ he became a volunteer Reserve Police officer for the city of Modesto. In 2005 he joined the San Joaquin County Sheriffs Department as a Deputy and worked mostly in the South Stockton area. He was blessed to be a part of the Metro Narcotics task Force, Street Crimes unit, Bailiff and then an FTO. In 2018 he relocated his family to Idaho and he is currently working for the Spokane Police Department as a Senior Police Officer.
Dan joined the Fraternal Order of Police in 2018 with Spokane Lodge #20. In 2021 he wanted to make a difference so he joined the Legislative Committee, and in 2022 was elected as the Secretary for Spokane Lodge #20.
Two of his most favorite gigs is working overtime at Concerts and The Jewish Temple Beth Shalom.
Tom Strongin
Tom started his career in law enforcement in 1960 joining the US Army Military Police Corps as an enlisted MP. Over the next 30 plus years Tom served in numerous duty stations overseas and in CONUS. His career took him from the enlisted side of the house to the commissioned ranks and he retired as Provost Marshall of Fort Riley, KS at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Tom also served as a GS-11 Federal Special Agent for Defense Investigative Service and managed a Federal Counter Drug program. In addition, he served as a Police Patrolman in Bakersfield, CA.
Tom has been a member of FOP Spokane Lodge #20 for about 10 years and has served as Lodge Chaplain for many of those years. Tom also volunteers as a Range Safety Officer for the LEOSA HR218 firearms qualifications at the Spokane Law Enforcement Academy Range.
Dave White
Dave joined the US Navy, in 1961, made two WestPac (Western Pacific) cruises and, in 1964, did a tour in Vietnam where he was stationed on a swift boat. After six years in the Navy, he decided he had been sea sick enough, so he joined the U S Army and attended airborne school, subsequently making 428 jumps. He attended Military Police school at Fort McClellan, AL. In December 1967, Dave was sent back to Vietnam and was in Saigon during the TET offensive in January 1968. Later that year, he was injured and spent time at Tripler Army Medical Center. In 1977, Dave was accepted into the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID). In December 1982, Dave had a seizure as a result of a head injury he suffered back in 1968 and as a result, he was given a medical retirement from the Army in December 1983 and due to PTSD and seizure disorder he has been unable to work.
Dave is an active member of the FOP and now serves as the Sergeant At Arms for Spokane Lodge #20.
Monroe Hartung
Monroe began his law enforcement career as a dispatcher with the Cheney Police Department and the joined the Medical Lake Police Department as a very active reserve officer from 1992 – 2009 and quickly became certified for solo patrol and to fill in for full-time officers. Monroe became a community corrections officer for the Washington DOC and served on the Washington DOC Gang Enforcement Unit from 1997 –2012 and is currently assigned to the DOC Mental Health Unit since 2012. He is a certified Regional Firearms Instructor for DOC since 1998 and a certified Regional Critical Incident Stress Management Team member since 2000.
Monroe has been actively involved with FOP since 1999, first as a member of West Plains Lodge #11 and continuing on when Lodge #11 merged with Spokane Lodge #20. He was one of the local area volunteers who responded to the Hurricane Katrina aftermath and he has been the Spokane Lodge #20 Trustee for several years.
President's Message
Spokane area law enforcement officers are nothing without the backing of the community, and we’re so thankful for the outpouring of support from our wonderful residents, businesses, and visitors throughout the years. Our lodge’s mission is two-fold: to protect Spokane’s law enforcement officers so they can focus on protecting you, and to be a part of the community through our participation in several charitable organizations and providing guidance to our elected officials.
Our organization represents the officers who have taken the oath to protect our residents, businesses, and visitors. We strive to uphold and exemplify the finest elements of our great community. Each and every day, we work both on-and off-duty to build a safe and prosperous environment for everyone – especially our children, who are our future. Our lodge is proud to support a number of charitable and community organizations, We urge you to aid in this charitable effort and encourage anyone interested in participating or donating to these causes to reach out to us.
Thank you again for your continued support of the law enforcement officers who have taken an oath to protect the residents, businesses, and visitors of this great city. Together, we can keep the Spokane community safe and prosperous for years to come.
Holt Widhalm
Holt Widhalm