What to know about fallen Everett police Officer Dan Rocha

STANWOOD, Wash. — Everett police Officer Dan Rocha, 41, was fatally shot while on duty on March 25. His family wrote the following biography.

Daniel (Dan) Rocha was born July 6, 1980, in Santa Barbara, California to parents Charlie and Melanie Rocha. 

When Dan was 4, his mother re-married to Mike Lee, who quickly became Dan’s second dad. Dan grew up in Las Vegas, and from a very young age, took interest in sports to include soccer, ice hockey and high school football.  Dan was lucky to be coached by both of his dads growing up.  It was through sports and family that Dan learned the importance of discipline, teamwork and standing up for others.  As a defenseman in hockey, Dan was not only good on his skates, but also presented a looming presence to opposing players who may have even had a thought about picking a fight with any of his younger, smaller teammates.  From a very young age Dan was a protector.

Dan graduated from Durango High School in 1998 and attended college at UNLV.  Dan then went to work at the MGM Grand Hotels, which is where he first met the love of his life, Kelli.  Kelli and Dan began dating in 2002, and a few short years later were married in 2005. They welcomed their first son, Thomas, into their lives in 2010, and were blessed with the arrival of their second son, Harrison in 2012.  As a close-knit family, Dan, Kelli and the boys did everything together and treasured the time they were able to spend with one another.

Looking for a break from the heat and a new community in which they wanted to raise their beautiful young family, Dan and Kelli moved to Everett in 2011, settling into a neighborhood in north Everett, where they quickly became part of the fabric of the Everett community.  However, several years later, due in part to Dan’s love for nature, trees and water, he moved his family to the Stanwood area in 2017.

Not long after their arrival in Everett Dan went to work for Fred Meyer, landing a job at the Casino Road store as an assistant manager.  Dan enjoyed meeting and talking with customers and co-workers and his easygoing, relaxed personality presented an open invitation for anyone to strike up a conversation with him.

Dan aspired to do something that mattered in this world and give back to his community.  He first dipped his toe into public service when he was hired as a parking enforcement officer for the Everett Police Department in 2017.  As a parking enforcement officer, Dan quickly established himself as a hard worker with outstanding public relations skills.  Shortly after his arrival at the Everett Police Department, officers saw personality traits in Dan that they knew would make him a successful police officer, and they quickly began recruiting him to apply for a position as a fully commissioned officer.

In 2018, Dan was hired as a police officer and was first assigned to patrol the same neighborhood that he had previously worked in while employed at Fred Meyer.  While Dan was able to quickly reconnect with the neighborhood he had previously served, it was his ultimate goal to return to north Everett and patrol the streets that he once lived in after his family had arrived here in 2011.  In 2020, Dan landed his dream assignment as a dayshift patrol officer in north Everett.  This is where Dan faithfully served his community up until his passing on March 25, 2022.

Dan was a hero to his family, to the men and women of the Everett Police Department and to our entire community.  He leaves behind his loving wife Kelli, sons Thomas and Harrison, dads Charlie Rocha and Mike Lee, sisters Morgen Henry and Rae Ann Hismiogullari, sister-in-law Maggy Palos and brother in law Matt Nicholas, plus a large extended family who loved him dearly.

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