Cleveland.com is reporting that officer Tim Loehmann, who shot and killed 12-year-old Tamir Rice, had?a track record of immaturity and inability to manage stress on his previous job.
Cleveland’s Fox8 Also Reported:
Independence Police Department, the officer’s previous employer, released Loehmann’s personnel file, which reveals some interesting information about the cop.
In a letter dated November 29, 2012, Deputy Chief Jim Polak?stated that Loehmann was ?distracted? and ?weepy? during firearms qualification training.
He continued,
“I do not believe time, nor training, will be able to change or correct the deficiencies.?
After six months with the Independence police department, Loehmann resigned in December 2012. But, the resignation came after the following recommendation from Polak that his employment with the police department be terminated.
?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.?
Cleveland Police Department hired him in March 2014.
The report from Independence also provides a few more startling discoveries about this police officer’s abilities and mental state.
- While in Cleveland Heights Police Academy, Loehmann fell asleep during training.
- His mother told Police Sgt. Greg Tinnirello that her son cried due to a conflict with his on again, off again girlfriend, while studying and his papers ?would be soaked in tears nightly for three months.?
- In November 2012, Loehmann was to stay in?the police dispatch center. He left and then lied, saying that dispatchers told him he could leave.
- During a state gun qualification session, Tinnirello wrote that Loehmann showed up ?sleepy and upset? and ?was distracted and was not following simple instructions.?
- Loehmann was reported to have left his firearm, unsecured in his locker overnight, even after being told it was unacceptable.
- It was stated the events while on the force showed a ?pattern of a lack of maturity, indiscretion and not following instructions.?
- The report concluded with saying, ?It just appears that he is not mature enough in accepting of responsibility or his understanding in the severity of his loss of control on the range.?
Perhaps that gives a bit more insight as to why he gunned down the child within two seconds of arriving on the scene.
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Elizabeth Preston is a thirty-something wife and mother of three living in Florida. She is a fierce liberal with a passion?for equality and justice. She is a skeptic by nature and often the Facebook friend that rains on the urban legend parade with fact checking. Give her?Facebook page?a?like, follow her on?Twitter?and check out her personal blog,?My Four Ha? Pennies.
