OLYMPIA, Wash — Gov. Jay Inslee announced Wednesday afternoon the new director of the Office of Independent Investigations (OII), an independent agency designed to investigate the use of deadly force by law enforcement, making it the first of its kind in the United States.
Inslee said Roger Rogoff will spearhead the new agency starting June 16.
Rogoff's background includes serving as legal counsel for Microsoft on data privacy and public safety, King County Superior Court judge and a 27-year history in the criminal justice system.
“As a superior court judge, Roger was deeply committed to considering cases through a lens of strict impartiality and objectivity, but without losing sight of the humanity of those involved in the cases,” Inslee said. “And as a member of the task force on sentencing reform, he demonstrated a commitment to improving outcomes within our legal justice system through collaboration with a diverse array of stakeholders. Roger’s experiences make him exceptionally suited to lead an agency, independent of law enforcement or the governor’s office, to investigate cases of officer-involved shootings.”
The OII's new director received his law degree from the University of Washington School of Law and participated in the Washington State Criminal Justice Task Force, which reviewed the state’s sentencing laws to produce a report with recommendations for improvements.
“I appreciate the governor’s faith in my ability to lead the new Office of Independent Investigations and (am) humbled by this incredibly hard-working, thoughtful Advisory Board’s recommendation,” Rogoff said. “In my years working within our state’s criminal justice system, I have met many of those involved in the discussions that led to the creation of the OII. I intend to lead an agency that conducts excellent investigative work, free from influence, with the goal of ensuring justice by learning the truth behind these incidents.”
House Bill 1267 established the OII and Inslee signed it into law in May 2021, creating the first independent agency in the country that will take use-of-force investigations out of the hands of law enforcement officers.
Before the OII, most incidents resulting in a person's death or serious injury were investigated through an uninvolved law enforcement agency.
Inslee requested the creation of the office based on recommendations from the 2020 task force following the deaths of George Floyd and Manuel Ellis, a Black man who died while being restrained by Tacoma police officers in March 2020.
Christopher Burbank and Matthew Collins were charged with second-degree murder and Timothy Rankine was charged with first-degree manslaughter in Ellis's death. All three officers plead not guilty to their respective charges.