Days after Bellaire Police Chief Dick Flanagan confirmed that Officer Timothy Loehmann was hired as a part-time officer, Rices mother, Samaria Rice, puts out in a press release that Loehmann has withdrawn his application.
Both Samaria Rice and the Cleveland chapter of Black Lives Matter were planning on holding a news conference today at 4 P.M. to talk about Loehmann being hired but right before it started she learned that Loehmann has since withdrawn his application to the Bellaire Police Department.
According to News5Cleveland:
> ““As of this afternoon, Timothy Loehmann has withdrawn his application in Bellaire,” Rice’s mother Samaria Rice said during a news conference Wednesday afternoon. “Hopefully, he will not be hired as a police officer by any other state.””
On October 5, Chief Flanagan advised the public that he hired both Loehmann and the Bethesda Police Department Chief that is currently suspended pending an investigation into him.
Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association President Jeff Follmer spoke to Loehmann and questioned him about why he withdrew the appllication and got the response that he did it due to pressure.
Minutes after the press release, The Black Shield Police Association released a statement on Twitter:
> “The Black Shield Police Association wants to express deep and heartfelt condolences to the RIce Family. We support Ms. Samaria Rice’s rights as a citizen to speak out about the death of Tamir Rice. As officers and public safety officials, we are here to support the family and community at large, aiming to be a genuine part of the healing process.”
Samaria believes the reason for the Loehmann withdrawing his application was due to all the calls and concern from both communities.
Chief Flanagan originally said Loehmann “deserves a second chance,” but in her statement today Samaria stated that he had plenty of second chances.
“He doesn’t deserve any second chances. He had plenty of second chances and he still failed to be a fir police officer. Not because I said it, but because of Independence and other police departments out there, um, have stated that in their reports,” Samaria stated.
Samaria also stated in the press release that many are asking how they can help the family and she advised that they are still continuing to take donations for the Tamir E Rice Foundation in hopes to build a community center.
A petition was started demanding that Chief Flanagan resign over his choice of hiring Loehmann but it appears that the petition has since been closed.
Loehmann has had an ugly past jumping from department to department or at least trying to.
Even though there were no charges against Loehmann for shooting Tamir within two seconds, he was terminated from Cleveland Police Department for lying on his application.
He was let go from Independence Police Department after proving to be incompetent with guns, according to his records.
In 2009, Loehmann failed his entrance exam to Maple Heights Police Department.
Loehmann is still appealing his termination from Cleveland Police Department.
