WKSU News: Cleveland's police union president vows to remain on the community-police commission

Friday, January 29, 2016 Cleveland's police union president vows to remain on the community-police commission He says the NAACP should look at other commission member's positions before asking him to leave by WKSU's KEVIN NIEDERMIER	Reporter Kevin Niedermier

Cleveland Police Patrolman's Association President Steve Loomis says NAACP criticism won't make him leave the Community Police Commission.

Courtesy of KEVIN NIEDERMIER

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The head of Cleveland’s police union says he will not resign from the city’s newly formed Community Police Commission. The Cleveland NAACP wants Steve Loomis to step down because he’s strident defense of six police officers fired this week for their roles in the fatal 2012 shooting of two unarmed suspects. WKSU’s Kevin Niedermier reports.

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The 13-member Community Police Commission formed last year is part of Cleveland’s consent decree with the Justice Department for police reform. It’s made up of a cross-section of the community as well as three members of police unions and associations, and will make recommendations for change.

Cleveland NAACP President Michael Nelson says Loomis’ support for the fired officers makes him unfit. But Loomis says Nelson should consider other biases on the committee as well.

“Mike Nelson should know that going into this that the police officers have a certain position as well as some of the other folks. There are people on this police commission who are marching in protests. So that’s just as much in conflict as his allegations of me being in conflict with my support of our officers.”

The NAACP’s Michael Nelson has not responded to a request for comment. Loomis says for the Community Police Commission to work, its members should look forward and not back.