In 2012, the officials at the Independence, Ohio police department declared Timothy Loehmann — one of their police officers at the time — unfit to work in law enforcement. In a letter recommending his termination, Independence deputy police chief Jim Polak wrote that Loehmann "could not follow simple directions [or] communicate clear thoughts nor recollections."
So Loehmann went looking for another police department that would hire him. That's how he ended up on the Cleveland Police Force. Eight months later, Officer Loehmann would drive up to a park in Cleveland and, within two seconds of arriving, would shoot and kill 12-year-old Tamir Rice.
Despite public outcry and evidence that Loehmann was in the wrong, he was not indicted for murder. Instead he was allowed to continue to serve on the force until he was fired after Cleveland P.D. learned he had been untruthful in his job application about the real reason he had left the Independence P.D.
Now, unbelievably after unjustly killing an innocent, unarmed boy and being fired by TWO police departments, Loehman has found his way onto yet another police force. This week, the Village of Bellaire, OH, announced that they had hired Loehmann. In a statement Bellaire Police Chief Richard "Dick" Flanagan, indicated that he was well aware of Loehmann's past saying: "Like anybody else if you make a mistake, someone's got to give you a second chance."Never mind the fact that Tamir Rice will never be afforded a second chance.
Police officers must be held to a higher standard. Their character, behavior, and state of mind must be beyond reproach. We entrust them to protect us and as Tamir Rice's story tells us, their decisions can mean the difference between life and death. Yet, with all the evidence that Loehmann is not only untruthful but unfit, he has been given another chance to terrorize the citizens of another Ohio city.
This is unacceptable. If past is prologue we can only fear for the lives of the people of Bellaire now that they are in the hands of an inept and dangerous police officer. An officer that Police Chief Flanagan has decided to unleash on his city. We must demand that dangerous and unqualified officers are kept off all police forces for the sake of our safety and those of our loved ones.
Please add your name and demand that Bellaire Mayor Vince DiFabrizio and Police Chief Richard Flanagan prioritize the safety of the city and fire Officer Loehmann before he does more harm.
