Oakland Police Officer Reinstated With Back Pay Following Violent "Occupy" Incident

Remember Officer Robert Roche?

Oakland officer reinstated with back pay after throwing grenade at unconscious man, bystanders

The incident dates back to October 25th, 2011. Citizens were protesting the perceived injustices in their government in what was called an Occupy Oakland rally, which involved day-and-night occupation of the public square. Oakland police initiated an unprovoked attack on peaceful bystanders when an unidentified OPD officer launched a metal tear gas canister directly into a man’s head, causing him to collapse into a pool of blood, and resulting in brain damage.

The incident didn’t end there. The man who had been injured was Iraq veteran Scott Olson; who received swift attention from non-uniformed bystanders. When people had gathered to aid Mr. Olson, another cop, OPD Officer Robert Roche, attacked the crowd by throwing a flashbang grenade only inches from Mr. Olson’s bleeding head. A violent explosion followed, injuring and scattering the first responders.

Related ATS threads regarding the incident and resulting lawsuit (described below):

US Marine in critical condition after Occupy Oakland

ANONYMOUS Identifies Cop Who Shot Marine Vet Scott Olsen

Remember Oakland OWS Scott Olsen who was shot in the head? Oakland lost in a several big lawsuits!

The smear campaign against Scott Olsen

Officer Robert Roche was shielded from identification for months following the incident, but was later named as a defendant in Mr. Olson’s lawsuit. Roche is a “Tango Team” (SWAT) operator who had already amassed 3 confirmed kills during his time serving Oakland. His homicides in 2006, 2007, and 2008 had all been deemed “justified” by OPD, although one of them resulted in a $500,000 settlement, according to the San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center. The Scott Olson incident resulted in a $4,500,000 settlement.

Officer Roche was placed on paid administrative leave in October 2011. He continued to receive subsidized paychecks until August 2013, when he was officially terminated. By that time he had enjoyed roughly 22 months of paid vacation and zero legal consequences.

Even this nauseatingly shallow level of accountability would prove too much for corrupt police officials to tolerate. Police union officials worked feverishly to reinstate Officer Roche.

In August 2014, it was announced that Officer Robert Roche was rehired and returned to work for OPD. In fact, he will be compensated for the time he missed, even the time during his termination.

That's right. 5 million bucks (plus his salary) later... he's back. Why aren't the people of Oakland in the streets laying siege to their police department?

Oh wait.. we know what will happen if they do that.

I'm to the point now where I'm more pissed at the citizenry for not doing anything about this than I am at the cops.

I'm to the point now where I'm more pissed at the citizenry for not doing anything about this than I am at the cops.

I had to reply for this sentence alone. I am at the same point you are. There's a saying that I like... "Pray to God but row for shore". Meaning that it's ok to hope and pray for help/rescue, but you should be actively helping yourself in the meantime. We can't all just wait for a super hero to show up, kiss the BooBoo and make it all better.

In my mind too many people aren't doing anything because they are waiting for it to magically get better, waiting to be rescued by others, or they are simply waiting for more people to take to the streets for the cause. I'm not even counting those who just don't care as long as it's not affecting them directly or those who are just too busy watching tv to even bother learning what is going on around them. There's no helping those people unfortunately. Some people firmly believe that ignorance is bliss.

I don't know what the answer is myself. But I do know that if we are ever going to be able to change this, we are going to need a hell of a lot of other people to wake up, get pissed, and fight for right. I sit like everyone else (I do what I can as far as writing letters, contacting my local politicians, etc. but I have not taken to the streets either) and I fear that is exactly what everyone else is going to do until it's too late. And we will have nobody to blame but ourselves... myself included at this point.

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

I don't know what the answer is myself

I believe that when confronted with violent murderous organized gang activity the answer is obvious. I'll not state it here for obvious reasons.

Writing letters, etc, etc to work for change is fine in a free representative republic.Unfortunately we no longer live in that society. Look around the world and you will see the only resolution available to oppressed peoples.

a reply to: NthOther

after all that they reinstate his "license to kill"...the streets of oakland just got a little less safe for the citizens...

originally posted by: Bassago
a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

I don't know what the answer is myself

I believe that when confronted with violent murderous organized gang activity the answer is obvious. I'll not state it here for obvious reasons.

Writing letters, etc, etc to work for change is fine in a free representative republic.Unfortunately we no longer live in that society. Look around the world and you will see the only resolution available to oppressed peoples.

I know what you mean and that is always an option. If I were face to face with it... It would be a different story. I imagine it would be for most of us. That's yet another reason that nothing happens and things continue to get worse. The people that do this kind of stuff know that no 1 individual is going to stop it. They know that a few hundred individuals aren't going to stop it. They (like we) know exactly what it will take and they know that gathering that many people together in all states at once is probably not going to happen.

I do feel like it will happen one day, but I wonder what kind of country we will be living in when it happens? Will it even be a country worth salvaging at that point? I can not imagine what will have to happen to get everyone to stop bitching at each other and stand together with each other for the common good of all.

It is unfortunate that when the time comes, it will come with loss of blood, life, and limb. I do not think for one second that it will be a peaceful uprising and it it were it would probably win us naught but a harder time afterwards.

originally posted by: Kangaruex4Ewe

I don't know what the answer is myself. But I do know that if we are ever going to be able to change this, we are going to need a hell of a lot of other people to wake up, get pissed, and fight for right. I sit like everyone else (I do what I can as far as writing letters, contacting my local politicians, etc. but I have not taken to the streets either) and I fear that is exactly what everyone else is going to do until it's too late. And we will have nobody to blame but ourselves... myself included at this point.

I don't know what we can do either. "Going it alone" is just retarded. Organizations will be infiltrated and compromised. And they have the superior man and firepower, so what can we do?

This is taking for granted that a political solution for this is totally laughable, of course (which it is). I think the change has to occur at the point of contact. Choosing my words somewhat carefully here... if you see someone in need, you help them. Stand up for each other.

Maybe that would be a start...

originally posted by: NthOther

originally posted by: Kangaruex4Ewe

I don't know what the answer is myself. But I do know that if we are ever going to be able to change this, we are going to need a hell of a lot of other people to wake up, get pissed, and fight for right. I sit like everyone else (I do what I can as far as writing letters, contacting my local politicians, etc. but I have not taken to the streets either) and I fear that is exactly what everyone else is going to do until it's too late. And we will have nobody to blame but ourselves... myself included at this point.

I don't know what we can do either. "Going it alone" is just retarded. Organizations will be infiltrated and compromised. And they have the superior man and firepower, so what can we do?

This is taking for granted that a political solution for this is totally laughable, of course (which it is). I think the change has to occur at the point of contact. Choosing my words somewhat carefully here... if you see someone in need, you help them. Stand up for each other.

Maybe that would be a start...

That would be a pretty great place to start.

People need to stop standing by quietly when they see an injustice occur and quit staying silent if one has occurred to them or someone they know. Everybody. Every time. We should all start with that and if it grew enough... Well, this crap would become either nonexistent or drastically decrease. Both would be far more preferable than what we have now.

Police union officials worked feverishly to reinstate Officer Roche.

This right here is why Unions need to go. Disgusting.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

Its not the union. They did their job and what they are paid for is to help the union member. It is not the place of the union to make people be good. That is where people always have a problem with unions. The union is paid by the members of that union. Would you pay into a union if you knew it wouldn't stand up and protect your job? Its not a court.That is not the unions job. This is on the brass of Oakland Police dept only. They had a choice in hiring this pos back or not,they choose wrong. Its that simple. Put the blame where it belongs,the union can't hire the cops,only the Police dept can.

a reply to: Dimithae
Your post should be repeated in the daily papers.
It seems to be a common misnomer that the media and others just love and delight in spreading.

Your post summed up the issue of union involvement.
I'm not part of a union anymore, but when I was, much bs could have been quieted if your post could've been passed around.

a reply to: Bassago

Yes i agree with you when push comes to shove you have to shove back no matter who is attacking you. You have a right to defend you self. Also agree the people need to march and demand this low life be removed from his job.This just gets me so pis##d off. Dam people will riot over their effing sports team winning or losing for christ sakes it is time to take a stand and start pushing back against the machine. Remember the smallest cog in the machine can cause it 2 stop if that cog is in the right part of the machine and stops working or something like that hope you all get my point..lol...

Wow... I'm stunned.

So this sadistic monster gets away with throwing a grenade into a group of protesters and street medics rendering aid to someone his fellow officer HAD JUST shot point blank in the face???

It would likely make me the loneliest little picket walker this world has ever seen, but if Oakland weren't 1,500 miles away, that PD would see my fuzzy tail out on it's sidewalk, walking that lonely little picket, for at least a few nights. Someone should be.

For folks who don't know me, I'm very very personal on this one because I had just gotten home from living with the Occupy STL camp and was watching national livestream from multiple places that night, including the growing battle zone in Oakland. Whatever the news footage looks like to watch replays? I'll never forget seeing it live and...not knowing if that cop had just murdered the kid and finished the job the one shooting him had started. (Of course, in the moment, more details weren't known like now).

There but for the Grace of God go I....and MUCH closer to true this time than I can explain away to myself.

Evil.... Gren'ed people giving medical aid to a fallen man. Outright EVIL. I'm not Anti-Cop and Occupy STL had direct liaison with the local police department that was used. Daily. Not every camp was enemies to the constabulary, even if the protest put us all at odds at a technical level. Just as nowhere near all cops are evil or anything but family men trying to make ends meet................but some Occupy members were trash from the gutter and some cops handling them were evil incarnate with a streak of sadism a mile wide.

Such is life and such was Occupy in 2011. Nothing was clear...but dropping a grenade on a fallen man IS clearly WRONG.

1. Confuse and misdirect to create emptiness
2. Preach peace to suppress revolt
3. Lure victims into life-wasting pursuits to maintain control

Rise up.

reply to: NthOther

Sure would be nice to have a job where you screw up so badly that they give you paid leave for nearly two years and then you get your job back with pay for the time you sat around and did nothing! They should make him work a desk job until he pays back all the money they spent on him. Make him a soup line worker or do charity work at minimum wages for the poor people he would abuse while he was on the beat. No benefits either, not even unemployment. If he needs medical, let him get the affordable care insurance or go without and pay the IRS fines.

That cop deserves a blanket party big time, along with his cops buddies that kept his job for him.

The only thing I can think of is that this is what they want in a cop, he is a model police officer in their minds or he wouldn't get such perks in his job. They need to give him a promotion and a raise for such commendable actions.

Personally, I think that is one Roche that needs to be stepped on and squashed.

I know many of you are furious about this decision and the lack of people publicly protesting does not always mean that nothing is being done. These situations are occurring everywhere and more frequently, it will only get worse unless citizens can come together and organize.
Look into local groups and organizations, I'm sure you will find a few close by if you try hard enough - be selective.
Network, network, network, you got this far prove your capabilities in the real world, not through a screen.
A storm is coming! Either sit in your house and wait it out or go out and play.

Sounds to me like this Police Officer must know a lot of abuse, that goes on in the Oakland PD, So to hush him up they re-hire. Why Else would the Oakland PD work so hard to Reinstate this Moron

a reply to: Glassbender777

Because sadly it is the blue line/brothers in blue they stick together no matter how bad the crimes are they commit. just my 2 cents

a reply to: NthOther

Just throwing this out there, but could we please stop pretending that anything whatsoever can be done about this? Take to the streets? The cops would absolutely love that. Instead of one guy shot in the head and bleeding out, think dozens or hundreds. Law Enforcement is it's own class of citizen. They ARE above the law and the "justice system" deals with them in a completely different way from how they would treat you or me. Unfair? Yep, and...?

Doesn't the White House need to respond to a certain amount of petitions?
I mean a guy with $5M worth of litigation in his 'against' portfolio should be grabbing someones attention, and he sounds like a regular Bobby Joe Blythe!

a reply to: Urantia1111

Did you ever consider that law enforcement may be on our side?
Many are just average, hard working, honest, would take a bullet for anybody, type of people. Of course there is corruption, I would consider it more of an issue if there was absence to it. But no one can have a revolt against anything unless they first know where the problem is and I assure you it is not with the bully cops or the rogue small town police forces or even the many million honest police agencies located throughout the USA.
Ask yourself why do we need so many officers on the street today? With the rise in police numbers there is also a rise in all the negatives that go along with the curve. But why is it that they are their to begin with?
And access to free money - Federal Money for agencies that show the need, also plays its role. I've seen cops bust people on streets with adjoining towns(one good town/one bad town), to raise there drug bust numbers, to get that free federal money so they can build a case for unnecessary overtime and cool new toys to play with.
Municipalities profit off this also and it bleeds down all the way to you and the taxes you pay on your property and how safe you feel when you are sleeping at night.

Taking it to the streets does not work, as you stated. What we need is something more, something real and something that will change the system from the bottom up, not the top down. Unfortunately many are too busy dealing with their normal average lives to get up and do something about it. And until you/we/they do it this will continue and it will get even worse!