Robert Washo has been a Rockford

Police officer since 2005. He has worked mainly as a training officer.

On August 18th, 2023, Washo was working overtime as a Rockford police officer at City Market. There was a protest in the area organized by the May 30th Alliance against local police terrorism, mass incarceration, and racial injustice.

In previous years the City Market event organizer Cathy McDermott, City Administrator Todd Cagnoni and Rockford Legal Director Nick Meyer orchestrated efforts to stifle protests including arrests by any force necessary.

At that time, Lamar Bell, a Rockford man whose father was killed at the hands of the Rockford police department, died in Illinois State Police custody. Because of this, there was an increased presence during the weekly protest.

Protesters met in the intersection of Madison Street and E State Street. They had signs, megaphones and a speaker as they walked and chanted the crosswalk.

Washo along with other RPD officers approached the protesters shortly after it began to issue a general warning regarding the use of a megaphone. The officers seemingly had tunnel vision to enforce city ordinance violations on protesters while ignoring preachers on the corner that spoke through a speaker system.

Officers arrested one protester, a relative of Lamar Bell after attempting to serve her with a city ordinance violation for the use of the megaphone. The charge was dismissed by the State’s Attorney office before the woman made it to her first court date.

Officers returned to serve another city ordinance violation to a protester for their alleged use of the megaphone. When the police approached, the protester left the area before they could say anything.

A squad car pulled up next to the protester as he was leaving the area. They did not say stop instead they asked the protester “Why are you running?”

On August 23rd, 2023, Washo met with Judge Francis Martinez to secure a resisting arrest warrant. The protester turned himself in the next day and was bonded out.

In 2019, Washo made $87,251 in salary + $4,671 in overtime = $91,922 + $24,960 in health insurance + $30,497 in pension pay.

In 2020, they made $92,460 in salary + $5,868 in overtime = $98,328 + $24,960 in health insurance + $33,025 in pension pay.

In 2021, they made $103,201 in salary + $9,492 in overtime = $112,693 + $24,180 in health insurance + $34,932 in pension pay.

In 2022, they made $101,022 in salary + $15,440 in overtime = $116,462 + $24,960 in health insurance + $39,700 in pension pay.

In 2023, they made $106,658 in salary + $21,205 in overtime = $127,863 + $24,960 in health insurance + $46,059 in pension pay.

In 2024, they made $97,703 in salary + $11,932 in overtime = $109,635 + $25,428 in health insurance + $52,059 in pension pay.

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.