Robert Wiest has been a Rockford Police officer since 2018. Before that Wiest worked as a Rockton cop.

On February 6th, 2019, Wiest responded to the shooting of Randy Pierson by then rockford police officer Timothy Stec on Bypass 20.

Upon Wiest’s arrival, Randy was already dead. Wiest was assigned to direct traffic away from the scene.

In late 2020 and early 2021 Wiest was assigned to work multiple protests against local police violence both at City Market and at the occupation at City Hall.

Wiest was involved in multiple arrests throughout this time period.

On July 31st, 2020, at Rockford City Market Wiest assisted in the arrest of a protestor during a protest against local police violence. This marked the first protest arrests since May 30th, 2020.

Most notably, Wiest was one of the arresting officers and lead state’s witness in two separate cases.

The first stemming from September 25th, 2020. Wiest and his partner Aaron Ruffolo went to arrest Albert “Cheeks” Riley Jr after they had witnessed Riley Jr push an off duty Winnebago County Sheriff deputy.

During the trial Wiest admitted to approached Riley Jr from behind and grabbed him. When the two officers were initially unsuccessful in a matter of seconds they shoved Riley Jr into the front of squad car, where Wiest conducted a “leg sweep.”

Once on the ground officers struggled to turn Riley Jr. onto his back. A witness that testified in the trial stated they were present watching the arrest from 15-20 feet away. As the struggle continued, they stepped forward to see on the back of Riley Jr was a large photographers bag that was preventing Riley Jr. from being turned over. The witness said he was trying to tell this to officers at the time but they were not listening.

Wiest testified in the trial that he pulled the dreads of Riley Jr. and punched him in the face multiple times.

Riley Jr. testified during the trial. In his testimony he stated he was attending City Market for his work as a freelance photographer. Over the course of the night Riley Jr. had taken photos of a couple that had been antagonizing protestors.

Unbeknownst to Riley jr. at the time, the couple was two off duty Winnebago County Sheriff deputies.

At one point in the night, the husband throw a water bottle towards a protestor. The protestor responded by throwing a water back towards the couple. It bounced off the street however it was still well short of reaching the couple.

Riley Jr. had captured multiple photos of this altercation.

During his testimony Riley Jr. stated the wife came up to him and demanded the photos be deleted. She became increasingly aggressive culminating in her smacking Riley Jr’s camera he was holding.

Riley Jr. attempted to push Crystal Smoot off of him, causing her to fall to the ground.

At that point officers Wiest and Ruffolo approached Riley Jr. from behind.

After a jury trial, Riley Jr. was found not guilty on all charges. Jurors lined up to tell how sorry they were he went through this. They told him “You were just doing your job.”

Wiest nor Ruffolo were punished for their use of force throughout the arrest.

2020-OP-0002006 filed stalking no contact order against Albert Riley. Emergency order granted but denied on first court date

On January 10th, 2021, Wiest was a part of a fleet of officers that were assigned to go to the Occupation at City Hall to remove all of the protestors’ belongings. One individual was arrested. They would later have all charges dismissed.

Wiest and six other officers responded to a scene hours at the 911 dispatch center across the street from City Hall. The call came from inside the dispatch center alleging an unhoused black man had used the bathroom in the alley behind the dispatch center. Wiest and others came to arrest the unhoused individual.

Occupiers from City Hall came to protest this arrest as more squad cars pulled up. Officers were able to arrest and leave with the unhoused individual.

On January 11th, 2021, Wiest was again part of a fleet of officers that were assigned to go to the Occupation to assist Public Works with removing the occupiers items. The City of Rockford employees formed a half circle around the items left behind. The occupiers had to pass in between public works and police officers.

One occupier attempted to pass by and bumped public works director Kyle Saunders in the shoulder causing him to lean forward. The occupier said “I’m sorry” afterward.

Wiest in his report said he believed it to be a sarcastic sorry. In his report Wiest said he talked Saunders.

Saunders told him that he heard the occupier say sorry but felt as if it were sarcastic. He was not injured in anyway.

The occupier was charged two felony counts: aggravated battery to a government employee and aggravated battery on a public way.

After a jury trial the occupier was found not guilty on all charges.

In 2019, Wiest made $71,139 in salary + $6,680 in overtime = $77,819 + $25,350 in health insurance + $30,497 in pension pay.

In 2020, they made $73,686 in salary + $7,197 in overtime = $80,883 + $25,350 in health insurance + $33,025 in pension pay.

In 2021, they made $83,376 in salary + $7,172 in overtime = $90,548 + $24,960 in health insurance + $34,932 in pension pay.

In 2022, they made $83,780 in salary + $12,678 in overtime = $96,458 + $25,350 in health insurance + $39,700 in pension pay.

In 2023, they made $93,100 in salary + $11,974 in overtime = $105,074 + $25,350 in health insurance + $46,059 in pension pay.

In 2024, they made $85,958 in salary + $11,351 in overtime = $97,309 + $26,325 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.