Daniel Watton was a Rockford Police officer from February 2005 to 2025.

He is currently a Rockford Park District police officer. Watton is related to fellow Rockford police officer Fallon Watton.

1997-DT-0071146 DUI found not guilty put on reckless driving supervision

Watton was assigned to work several protests against local police violence in the fall of 2020.

On September 4th, 2020, the protest crowd in the crosswalk area of City Market was given an unlawful order to leave by the Rockford Police Department.

Officers began to chase the crowd out of the area. On three occasions, they arrested protestors when the crowd wasn’t moving fast enough.

One of those occasions involved Watton physically slamming a nonviolent protestor to the ground as seen in the photos above.

In 2019, Watton made $118,976 in salary + $24,180 in health insurance + $30,497 in pension pay.

In 2020, they made $124,492 in salary + $24,960 in health insurance + $33,025 in pension pay.

In 2021, they made $123,112 in salary + $24,960 in health insurance + $34,932 in pension pay.

In 2022, they made $125,355 in salary + $24,960 in health insurance + $39,700 in pension pay.

In 2023, they made $139,470 in salary + $24,960 in health insurance + $46,059 in pension pay.

In 2024, they made $130,097 in salary + $26,325 in health insurance + $52,059 in pension pay.

In 2025, they made $180,807 in salary.

If you or anyone you know has been abused, harassed or otherwise mistreated by this officer please email us with the officers name in the subject.