Gee and Ursula: What does it take to get fired as a Mercer Island police officer?

A Mercer Island police officer is under investigation for two incidents, one involving a prank with a sex toy and another an apparent abuse of power.

According to FOX 13 Seattle, Todd Roggenkamp found a sex toy in a Park-and-Ride lot and placed it on another officer’s patrol car without his knowledge. The officer allegedly drove around the community for several hours with the toy attached to his vehicle. Roggenkamp later moved the toy to the truck bed of another officer’s personal vehicle.

During the investigation, Roggenkamp admitted he thought the prank was funny but acknowledged it was inappropriate.

In an earlier incident, Roggenkamp attempted to use his rank to secure the release of his wife, Jennifer, after her arrest following a night of drinking.

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Andrew Goodman, a Fall City resident, was allegedly assaulted by Jennifer in 2023. Video footage and police reports obtained by FOX 13 Seattle show Todd flashing his badge to gain access to a local bar after it had closed in an attempt to retrieve his wife’s phone.

Goodman intervened when the bartender, a friend, explained the bar could not be reopened. The situation escalated, leading Goodman to call 911. Deputies later stopped the Roggenkamps’ vehicle, resulting in Jennifer’s arrest for assault. According to witnesses Todd appeared highly intoxicated. He allegedly lied to deputies and drove to King County Jail to demand his wife’s release.

Roggenkamp reportedly avoided termination by accepting a demotion from sergeant to officer. The Mercer Island Police Department chief proposed termination but later agreed to a “last chance employment agreement,” in consideration of Roggenkamp’s 18 years of service.

“You see stories like this out of Mercer Island in their police department, and this person is still holding on to a job now,” Gee Scott co-host of “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio commented. “How many of you can do any of what this cop did and keep your job?”

Ursula Reutin said, “Any of it, none of it.”

“He should be fired right away,” Gee responded. “There is some type of attitude and behavior and some believe flashing the badge or being law enforcement, you think that you are above the law, and even when you do all of these things, you still get a pass.”

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“This is a clear abuse of power,” Ursula said.

“You were exceptionally unprofessional and demeaning,” Roggenkamp’s chief remarked, in documents obtained by FOX 13 Seattle. “It is extremely concerning that you drove the vehicle within approximately one hour of being observed by the King County deputies as very intoxicated.”

The Mercer Island City Manager responded in a statement:

The Mercer Island Police Department investigates all reports of alleged officer misconduct thoroughly and swiftly. MIPD took immediate action related to this incident, and while we aren’t able to publicly discuss the details of personnel processes, corrective action was taken. The Police Chief submitted the case to the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission for their certification review process. The trust placed in our department by our community is our greatest asset. The investigation process and independent review by the Criminal Justice Training Commission ensure any actions not meeting our highest standards for officer conduct are addressed.”

For now, Roggenkamp remains a Mercer Island police officer.

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m.- noon on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.