Governor Ferguson appoints Jane Nesbitt to serve as interim Office of Independent Investigations Director

OLYMPIA - Today Governor Bob Ferguson announced the appointment of Jane Nesbitt as interim director of the Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) following the departure of Director Roger Rogoff.

Governor Jay Inslee appointed Rogoff as the first director of OII - created by the Legislature in 2021 to provide independent investigations of police use of deadly force - in June 2022. Prior to leading OII, Rogoff was a King County Superior Court judge, a senior deputy prosecutor in the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office and a Law Enforcement National Security Team attorney for Microsoft. His resignation is effective March 3. He departs the agency to join the Seattle law firm Osborn Machler & Neff.

"As OII's first director, Roger has played an important role in getting this new agency off the ground," Governor Ferguson said. "Jane has extensive knowledge of the agency, its staff and operations, and I am confident in her ability to provide strong and steady leadership as acting director."

"I am deeply honored to have served as OII's inaugural director," Rogoff said. "This agency is poised to empirically change how states investigate police use-of-force cases. Truly independent investigations must occur in order to instill trust and credibility both for the family of the person hurt or killed and for the law enforcement agents involved in these traumatic events. Jane will be a smart, thoughtful, caring leader who is uniquely qualified to move the agency into its next stage of growth. I look forward to seeing the incredible work of OII's staff and leadership spread statewide."

"I am thankful to Roger for the opportunity to serve as Chief of Staff for OII," Nesbitt said. "Throughout my time in that role, my primary focus has always been supporting the staff and advancing the agency's mission, vision and values. As Acting Director, I remain committed to continuing that focus. I appreciate the trust Governor Ferguson is placing in me to lead OII."

Nesbitt has served as chief of staff at OII since August 2022, where she is responsible for overseeing the agency's mission, vision, growth and development. She provides strategic leadership across key areas such as hiring, training, policy and organizational development. In her new role, Jane will work closely with the executive leadership team on the transition process, as well as continue efforts to expand OII's area of operations in Washington state.

Before joining OII, Nesbitt served 18 months as the first statewide COVID Compliance Operations Manager for the State Emergency Operations Center during the pandemic. She has been in state government since 2014 and has a Ph.D. from Creighton University School of Medicine.

Nesbitt's appointment is effective Feb. 1.