NPR, formerly National Public Radio, reports
Timothy Loehmann, the police officer who shot and killed 12-year-old Tamir Rice in 2014, was fired by the Cleveland Police Department [May 30]. At a news conference, city authorities announced that the reason for his termination wasn't the deadly incident that brought him to national attention, but rather violations he committed in the course of his hiring process.
"Patrol officer Loehmann had been charged with rule violations concerning his application process to be considered a cadet with the Division of Police--specifically, answers he had provided on his personal history statement", Michael McGrath, the city's director of public safety, told reporters in prepared remarks.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer explains that Loehmann failed to disclose the full circumstances of how his time at a previous police department ended:
"Loehmann was allowed to resign from the Independence department after six months following a series of incidents where supervisors determined he was unfit to be a police officer.
"The disciplinary letter cites a letter in Loehmann's personnel file from Independence that says he was emotionally immature and had 'an inability to emotionally function'. The letter also cites an emotional breakdown Loehmann had on the gun range in Independence."
Cleveland authorities also announced that Frank Garmback, the officer driving the patrol car at the time Loehmann shot Tamir, would be suspended for 10 days for administrative rule violations of his own. He would also be required to take a tactical training course.
The penalties cap a review process conducted by Cleveland's Critical Incident Review Committee, or CIRC, in the wake of Tamir's death and the widespread protests it elicited. As the Plain Dealer reported last month, CIRC already "found no fault in the officers' actions leading up to, during and after the Nov. 22, 2014 shooting at Cudell Recreation Center on Cleveland's West Side".
(Score: 4, Informative) by inertnet on Friday June 02 2017, @03:00PM (2 children)
It's also a wrong signal to bad apple police officers, who could get the idea that they can get away with anything as long as they fill in their papers correctly. Some may not handle this empowering message very well.
(Score: 2) by Arik on Saturday June 03 2017, @01:33AM (1 child)
A couple decades ago I called for higher police pay and higher standards. Now I'm just saying higher standards. I'm not saying every cop out there is paid what he's worth, but it's no longer a glaring issue. In most areas they are paying enough to expect above average intelligence and some skills and focus and seriousness about the job. That's what we should expect.
But they aren't looking, in many jurisdictions, for intelligence. http://abcnews.go.com/US/court-oks-barring-high-iqs-cops/story?id=95836
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday June 04 2017, @08:04AM
A few of these obviously criminally guilty cops need to be dealt with, and left somewhere public as an example.
The people responsible for this either need to avoid being caught, or allow themselves to be caught because they are part of a larger organization and are capable of not divulging intelligence on it under the most extreme of duress.
Only at that point will the current level of corruption be dealt with. When the judicial fails, it is up to the citizenry to remind the establishment who holds the reins of power and what expectations they have in order for the rule of law to be re-established so they don't have to.