News and Updates
Update 3 – Name of officer involved in deadly force incident in Centralia released
Case number: OII-2025-0001
Olympia, Wash. (Jan. 17, 2025) – The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) has identified the officer involved in a use of deadly force incident as Centralia Police Officer Ruben Ramirez.
Officer Ramirez was hired in September 2001 and previously served as a reserve police officer beginning in 1998. He is assigned to the Patrol Division as a K9 Officer.
The Centralia Police Department… Read more
Update 2 - OII tip line for deadly force incident in Centralia
January 15, 2025
Case number: OII-2025-0001
Olympia, Wash. (Jan. 15, 2025) – The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) has established a tip line as it continues to investigate a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred in Centralia, Wash.
Anyone who may have information regarding the incident is asked to… Read more
Update - OII investigation of deadly force incident involving Centralia Police
Case number: OII-2025-001
Olympia, Wash. (Jan. 13, 2025) – The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred in Centralia, Washington on Sunday, Jan. 12.
The Centralia Police Department notified OII of the incident at 11:21 a.m. on Jan. 12, as required by RCW 43.102. The first OII investigators arrived and reported to the scene just past noon on Jan. 12. In total, 14 OII investigators joined the initial investigation.
The… Read more
OII to Investigate Use of Deadly Force Incident in Centralia, Washington
The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) received a notification at 11:21AM on January 12, 2025 from the Centralia Police Department that a deadly force incident occurred around 11:00AM at the 400 Block of North Ash St., Centralia, Wash.
OII will be investigating the incident. More information to follow.
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The state Legislature created OII in 2021 to conduct independent and unbiased investigations of deadly… Read more
Update 3 – Name released of person killed and officer involved in deadly force incident in Vancouver
Case number: OII-2024-0005
Olympia, Wash – The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) … Read more
Update 2 - OII tip line for deadly force incident in Vancouver
Case number: OII-2024-0005
Olympia, Wash – The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) has established… Read moreOII Advisory Board Seeks Defense Attorney to fill Member Vacancy
The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) has an opening on the 11-member Advisory Board. It is seeking a defense attorney who supports OII’s vision that all investigations of police use of deadly force will be free from bias and trusted by everyone.
Members of the OII Advisory Board advise on agency policies and approve the hiring of any applicants for investigative positions who have been in law enforcement within 24 months of applying. Board members also advise and prepare… Read more
Update - OII investigation of deadly force incident involving Vancouver Police
Case number: OII-2024-0005
Olympia, Wash. – The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred in Vancouver, Washington on Wednesday, Dec. 4.
The Vancouver Police Department notified OII at 11:31 p.m. Dec. 4 of the incident, as required by RCW 43.102. The first OII investigators arrived and reported to the scene at 12:20 a.m. Dec. 5. Additional team members continued to respond. In total, 15 OII investigators joined the initial response.
… Read moreOII to Investigate Use of Deadly Force Incident in Vancouver, Washington State
The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) received notification at 11:31 pm on December 4, 2024, from the Vancouver Police Department that a deadly force incident occurred at 13719 SE Mill Plain Blvd, Vancouver, WA.OII will be investigating the incident. More information to follow.
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The state Legislature created OII in 2021 to conduct independent and unbiased investigations of deadly use of force by law enforcement. It works with an 11-member advisory board that reviews… Read more
Reminder - OII set to respond to use of deadly force cases starting December 1, 2024
Nov. 27, 2024
The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) remains on track to begin actively responding to use of deadly force cases on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024.
OII announced in July that it would begin responding to active incidents in Southwest Washington and the Olympic Peninsula. This is a reminder of the approaching date when OII will begin active operations.
In order to manage its resources, OII is starting in phases. Of its… Read more
OII to hold virtual community meeting Nov. 13
The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) will host a virtual community meeting as it prepares to actively respond to use of deadly force cases in Southwest Washington and on the Olympic Peninsula.
- When: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 13
- Where: Virtual Zoom… Read more
OII Seeks Defense Attorney to Fill Board Member Vacancy
The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) has an opening on the 11-member OII Advisory Board and is seeking a defense attorney interested in serving.
The opening comes after Dustin Howie, who was appointed to the board in May, announced that he is taking a position with the Alaska Public Defender Agency, prompting him to relocate and resign his position.
Members of the OII… Read more
OII is set to respond to use of deadly force cases starting December 1, 2024
On Dec. 1, 2024, the Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) will start actively responding to use of deadly force cases in Southwest Washington and on the Olympic Peninsula. These investigations are currently conducted by independent teams of local law enforcement agencies.
To effectively manage its resources, OII will begin its statewide operations in phases. The agency has … Read more
Spokane attorney Dustin Howie joins OII Advisory Board
A new defense attorney has joined the Washington State Office of Independent… Read more
OII now accepting requests to review prior investigations of deadly force cases
The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) is now accepting requests to review prior cases of the use of deadly force by law enforcement, if new evidence is brought forth not included in the original investigation and the incident resulted in a fatality.
The OII Prior Investigations Program is now live on the agency’s website at… Read more
OII seeks defense attorney to fill advisory board vacancy
The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) has an opening on the 11-member OII Advisory Board and is seeking a defense attorney interested in serving.
Board members play a critical role by reviewing agency policies and protocols and approving the hiring of any potential OII investigators who have been in law enforcement within 24 months of applying. The board also recommends candidates for the position of agency director, who is… Read more
OII launches public website
The Office of Independent Investigations (OII) has launched its public website, oii.wa.gov, a significant milestone for the agency and a key means of ensuring that information about OII’s work will be easily available to the public.
The website is mobile friendly… Read more
OII releases report on status of agency Implementation Plan
This week, OII released the “Status Report on the OII Implementation Plan" [PDF] which details for the Legislature how the agency plans to operate and conduct investigations of incidents where law enforcement officers use deadly force.
“Building a new agency from the ground up poses significant challenges, but also remarkable opportunities to… Read more
Visit to Spokane proves fruitful for OII team
The Office of Independent Investigations (OII) met with a host of Spokane area organizations recently, including community advocacy groups and both local and federal law enforcement. During the trip, the team also visited a potential OII office in Spokane.
“As the second largest city in the state, we have long identified Spokane as a site where we would want one of our regional offices, so touring a potential location made sense,” OII Director Roger… Read more
Inslee names Roger Rogoff director of Office of Independent Investigations
Gov. Jay Inslee today named Roger Rogoff director of the newly created state Office of Independent Investigations (OII). The OII was established by the Legislature and signed into law by Inslee in May 2021. The agency was created as a result of the demand to provide competent, unbiased, and thorough investigations of police use of deadly force, often affecting people of color, that will be independent of the involved law enforcement… Read more
Media Contacts
Hector Castro
Community Relations and Communications
360-870-8115
Hector.Castro@oii.wa.govKimberly Garcia (formerly Diaz)
Media Relations Coordinator
360-790-1247
Kimberly.Garcia@oii.wa.govStay Informed
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