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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsOfficer who fatally shot Tamir Rice judged unfit for duty by police in 2012
A police officer who shot a 12-year-old dead in a Cleveland park late last month had been judged unfit for police service two years earlier by a small suburban force where he worked for six months, according to records released Wednesday.
Officer Timothy Loehmann, who killed Tamir Rice on 22 November, was specifically faulted for breaking down emotionally while handling a live gun. During a training episode at a firing range, Loehmann was reported to be distracted and weepy and incommunicative. His handgun performance was dismal, deputy chief Jim Polak of the Independence, Ohio, police department wrote in an internal memo.
The memo concludes with a recommendation that Loehmann be released from the employment of the City of Independence. Less than a week later, on 3 December 2012, Loehmann resigned.
In March of this year, Loehmann was hired by the Cleveland police department. It is unclear whether the department had seen the Independence memo at the time of Loehmanns hiring.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/dec/03/officer-who-fatally-shot-tamir-rice-had-been-judged-unfit
JI7
(89,254 posts)clerks etc are more strict with who they hire than police departments.
951-Riverside
(7,234 posts)NoJusticeNoPeace
(5,018 posts)BronxBoy
(2,286 posts)that's not what the poster meant.
Of course the family will be compensated (although with the way things have been going, I'm not sure) I think the poster is saying that the actions of the officers tend to be more of a burden on the taxpayers than the officers themselves.
NoJusticeNoPeace
(5,018 posts)It isnt the legal reason but the practical one.
My only concern is VERY Few of us would turn away from a multimillion dollar judgment if we were the parents, so to chastise anyone else for doing it is not good
BronxBoy
(2,286 posts)but I still think you are missing the point.
NoJusticeNoPeace
(5,018 posts)via taxes.
I get that.
My point is who among us would turn down a settlement like that?
And is that poster on record showing sorrow for what happened and anger at the officers or just on record complaining about the tax deal?
BronxBoy
(2,286 posts)It's certainly not stated nor even implied in the post you referred to.
NoJusticeNoPeace
(5,018 posts)showing sorrow to the family and anger at the cops for doing this?
Or only concerned about the tax angle?
BronxBoy
(2,286 posts)Have you even looked at some of the threads on DU today?????? Seems like a lot of anger being expressed to me.
Go have a look
NoJusticeNoPeace
(5,018 posts)payers having to pay these grieving parents, if they ever do.
I noticed that among a SEA of people, myself included, talking about the sorrow and anger we have
Do you not see that?
I have a knack for noticing something like that, many of us do actually
That maybe the LAST thing ANYBODY should be concerned about in this horrific situation is tax payers having to pay $30 a year more in taxes ,if that.
BronxBoy
(2,286 posts)like I said... I'll let that poster speak for himself..
justiceischeap
(14,040 posts)that way when he had to pay every paycheck he'd be reminded of what he did.
951-Riverside
(7,234 posts)The cops themselves are never held accountable no matter what.
This needs to end.
olegramps
(8,200 posts)The citizens of the city elected these incompetent idiots to govern them. Until the citizens wake the hell up and stop electing crap to run the cities and federal government they are just as responsible as the nincompoops they worship. The people who are responsible have nothing to worry about. The Republicans controlled media will have portrayed the kid as being totally at fault and the officer as the victim of a rabid black uncontrollable juvenal delinquent that had put his life in danger.
KeepItReal
(7,769 posts)So Cleveland PD hires him?
How hard would it have been to check this guy's references?
uppityperson
(115,677 posts)I wonder how he feels now.
uponit7771
(90,347 posts)malaise
(269,079 posts)his arrival
Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)This was a drive-by. The new gang's colors are black and gold.
malaise
(269,079 posts)where African Americans are being slaughtered without cause,
atreides1
(16,082 posts)Why not?
roody
(10,849 posts)JI7
(89,254 posts)frylock
(34,825 posts)HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)but they probably shouldn't be.
At the time the cruiser swept down upon the child, the child was threatening no one.
Apologists argue that split second life and death decisions are what policing is about,
And I say, that's bullshit whendecisions are forced into split seconds by rashness of police action.
NoJusticeNoPeace
(5,018 posts)out of his car and shooting instantly.
Combine a person who has no business ever being a cop with the typical non minority person's view of 12 yr old AfAm children as full grown Giant Negro's Run Amok and you are guaranteed this outcome every single time.
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=MS19120429.2.26
Brickbat
(19,339 posts)Ptl. Loehmann continued with his emotional meltdown to a point where Sgt. Tinnirello could not take him into the store, so they went to get something to eat and he continued to try and calm Ptl Loehmann. Sgt Tinnirello describes the recruit as being very downtrodden, melancholy with some light crying. Sgt. Tinnirello later found this emotional perplexity was due to a personal issue with Ptl. Loehmanns on and off again girlfriend whom he was dealing with till 0400 hrs the night before. (Pti. Loehmann was scheduled for 0800 the morning in question).
Some of the comments made by Ptl Loehmann during this discourse were to the effect of, I should have gone to NY, maybe I should quit, I have no friends, I only hang out with 73-year-old priests, I have cried every day for four months about this girl. In recommending Loehmanns dismissal, Polak listed what he said were other performance shortcomings, including Loehmanns having left his gun unlocked, lied to supervisors and failed to follow orders.
Due to this dangerous loss of composure during live range training and his inability to manage this personal stress, I do not believe Ptl Loehmann shows the maturity needed to work in our employment, Polak concludes. For these reasons, I am recommending he be released from the employment of the city of Independence. I do not believe time, nor training, will be able to change or correct these deficiencies.
spanone
(135,848 posts)Brickbat
(19,339 posts)Heartbreaking that it didn't end there.
spanone
(135,848 posts)Stuart G
(38,436 posts)This will be totally ugly..fuck the individual who OK'd this...throw him/her out.
herding cats
(19,565 posts)His dad was a 20 year NYPD veteran.
herding cats
(19,565 posts)Which shows evidence that he was also a liar, having been caught lying at least twice to his superiors. He couldn't follow directions, wanted to be a cop like his dad, but didn't want to do what he was told and would lie when caught doing something other than what he was told to do. He should never have been hired on again as a police officer.
The file is all the way at the bottom of the article at the link below.
http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2014/12/cleveland_police_officer_who_s.html#incart_m-rpt-1
heaven05
(18,124 posts)if they knew what a dangerous individual he is, maybe that's why he was put in the area he policed. Wouldn't put it past those in charge. Should have NEVER handled a weapon again as a police officer. geez
herding cats
(19,565 posts)He clearly wasn't suited for the job and he sounds like he had some issues with stunted emotional maturity.
Rex
(65,616 posts)I had no idea they were hiring with such low standards! I would be an ace among trumps. And most of the time I am just half motivated to do something!
At least the small down did the right thing and got rid of him, but WTF is up with a big metro hiring him? They don't do employment background check on cop candidates!?
That's fucked up right there.
uppityperson
(115,677 posts)school shooting in the making. At 3:30 pm. On a Saturday.
BronxBoy
(2,286 posts)herding cats
(19,565 posts)Toss it out there and see if it resonates with the general public, if not just toss out some other BS until you find something that sticks.
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)before getting hired on at Ferguson.
Maybe on some of the worst police forces, having a "record" of abuse is a gold star for them.
Rex
(65,616 posts)Birds of a feather.
cyberswede
(26,117 posts)Red flag, anyone? Jesus christ.
Rex
(65,616 posts)It makes me wonder why they get away with the notion that cops can do no wrong and are virtually infallible? Are we that fucked up as a country?
I now appearances are more important that actual reality in America...but it should never apply to someone carrying a gun with a license to kill.
Kalidurga
(14,177 posts)It sounded like the CPD was open to that if video evidence supported a bad shoot and it does.