Police union chief who endorsed Trump ousted in member vote
ASSOCIATED PRESS
President of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association Steve Loomis stops to compose himself in Cleveland in 2006 as he talks about Detective Jonathan James Schroeder, who was killed trying to arrest a rape suspect. Loomis was ousted Tuesday. He lost to former president Jeff Follmer.
CLEVELAND >> A Cleveland police union president criticized for having his organization endorse Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy and incendiary comments about NFL player protests has been ousted.
The Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association is the city’s largest police union. President Steve Loomis lost Tuesday by 38 votes to former president Jeff Follmer. Most of the union’s 1,243 members voted.
The head of an association representing 200 black officers tells Cleveland.com some of its members questioned Loomis’ provocative statements and his decision to endorse Trump. Black Shield Association President Lynn Hampton says black officers were dismayed to see Loomis taking stances that created negative press coverage.
Loomis says he’ll continue to devote his career to “championing” police work.
NFL players have kneeled during the national anthem to protest police killings of unarmed blacks. The Republican president has said team owners should fire them.
