Bernie Rocca

Bernie Rocca is one of the four tritagonists (alongside Kaye Kelso, Christina Dichiera and Leo Flynn) of Stingers.
He served as a deuteragonist from season one to season two, a mentioned character in season three, and a minor anti-hero in season seven.
He is portrayed by Joe Petruzzi.
==Early History==
Not too much is known about Rocca’s past, except that he also worked as a police officer in Western Australia and was responsible for taking down criminals like Anthony Trent Howarth and Graeme Wilkins. Some time later, he formed the Undercover unit in Melbourne, and found Peter Church, who had been living off the grid after his fiancée Alice was murdered by a lone gunman (later revealed to be Aaron Fielder). Rocca manages to convince Church to join his Undercover unit.
==Personality==
Rocca is shown to be an effective and reliable boss of the Undercover unit, earning the respect and friendship of everyone in the unit thanks to his often-level-headed style of command. In certain situations, he sometimes will be active in field operations when it’s completely necessary. One example was in season two, when the unit was tasked with taking down a South American guerilla leader, Rocca was required to go undercover as he was the only member of the unit who could speak Spanish. Despite being level-headed for the most part, Rocca can sometimes get into a habit of grumpiness or anger, whenever an operation is jeopardized and if one of his operatives ignores his orders or puts other people at risk.
He had a close friendship with Peter Church, who often credits Rocca as the man who helped him find some meaning in his life by convincing Church to join the unit years ago. Despite this, they did clash with one another at times, more specifically near the end of season one when Church started to completely disregard Rocca’s orders. Firstly, when Church went rogue during the investigation against extremist Aaron Fielder, after finding out that Fielder was the man responsible for the murder of Church’s fiancée Alice years prior, as well as when Church originally resigned from the unit during the Dino Rossi investigation due to his relationship with Christina Brock, Dino’s sister, which lead to a brief falling out between Rocca and Church, although they would patch up their friendship before Church rejoins the unit following Christina’s death.
==Notable storylines==
Near the end of season two, Rocca becomes focused on taking down a marijuana dealer named Graeme Wilkins, which he sends Stone undercover to investigate. At the same time, his relationship with Lucy is starting to be repaired as they undergo couples counselling. One night while dropping off Lucy from their counselling session, Rocca is shot in the back multiple times, and is taken to hospital in a critical condition. Prompting Church and Mac to find Rocca’s would-be assassin, despite facing possible disciplinary action from Rocca’s temporary replacement Susan Abbott. Church and Mac believe that Wilkins is responsible for Rocca’s shooting at first, when it’s discovered that Rocca took him down when working as a cop in Western Australia, but they later find out that Rocca’s shooter was another WA suspect that he previously arrested, Anthony Howarth, who Church takes down and forces him to confess to Rocca’s attempted murder. Rocca soon wakes up in hospital, and everyone is relieved, but Rocca expresses doubts about returning to the unit. Rocca recovers at home with Lucy and the rest of his family, when Mac reveals to him that the new Deputy Minister is considering the option to disband the Undercover unit, prompting Rocca to later return to the unit and confront Abbott about her report to the review panel, which he finds out from her was only a standard report that wasn’t supposed to affect the unit’s survival. After Church takes down his informant Terry Hanks, who is revealed to be the drug dealer nicknamed The Dingo. Rocca and Abbott later meet with with the review panel, and soon informs the unit that they've won their bid to keep the unit running. However, Rocca later tells Church that he’s leaving the unit, as his recent brush with death has convinced him to put his family first instead of being a cop, before saying goodbye to Church, who is saddened over Rocca’s decision to leave. Some time later, Mac takes over Rocca's position as Head of Undercover following her promotion to Detective Senior Sergeant.
Rocca resurfaces in the season seven episode “Wild Card”, when he accidently blows Church’s cover as he’s investigating Rocca’s friend Martin Kelly. They later meet up again playing golf, with Rocca telling Church that he and Lucy are doing OK. However, Church’s current boss Luke Harris later tells him that Lucy had left Rocca six months prior, along with the children, and that Rocca is financially struggling, prompting Harris to suspect that Rocca is associated with Kelly’s business activities and blew Church’s cover on purpose.
==Gallery==
Bernie Rocca (Joe Petruzzi) - season 1 opening credit for Stingers.gif|Rocca's opening credit for season one.
Bernie Rocca (Joe Petruzzi) - season 2 opening credit for Stingers.gif|Rocca's opening credit for season two.
Angie calls Rocca to warn him that Serena may be in danger.gif|Rocca recieves a call from Angie Piper to alert him that Serena Lomas may be in danger, prompting him to call for Peter Church.
Rocca tells Angie that Church is on the way.gif|Rocca tells Church to head to the safehouse to back Angie up, before telling Angie on the phone that Church is on his way.
Angie suggests that Nicci try to reach a truce with her ex-husband for Serena's sake.gif|Rocca listens as Angie gives some advice to Serena's mother Nicci, suggesting that she try and reach a truce with her ex-husband for Serena's sake.
The unit find out that the charges against Dino Rossi have been dropped.gif|Rocca and the rest of the unit watch in disbelief as Dino Rossi's lawyer announces that the criminal charges against him have been dropped, prompting Rocca to storm off in anger.
Church tells Rocca that he's back to stay.gif|Rocca finds out that Church has decided to officially return to the unit.
Mac and Rocca check up on Angie.jpg|Rocca and Mac check up on Angie, who is disraught after finding out her informant was killed.
Angie and Rocca.jpg|Rocca with Angie.
==Quotes==
==Trivia==
*Rocca appeared in 45 episodes of Stingers from 1998 to 2003, departing in the season two finale in 1999, before making a one-off return during season seven in 2003.
*Rocca is the second main character of Stingers to depart from the series, following Kaye Kelso early in season one, and before Oscar Stone and Ellen MacKenzie in season five, and Danni Mayo in season six.
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