In a recent development, the police chief of White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, has resigned from his position. The chief, responsible for the hiring of former Cleveland officer Timothy Loehmann, who fatally shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice in 2014, has returned to his former role as a patrolman. This decision comes after Loehmann resigned from the White Sulphur Springs police force last week, marking the third time in six years that he has left a small police department amid backlash shortly after being hired.
The controversy surrounding Loehmann's hiring stemmed from the fact that the police chief recommended him as a probationary officer without being fully informed of his background. Mayor Kathy Glover acknowledged the oversight, stating that she was unaware of Loehmann's history and apologized to Tamir Rice's family for the oversight.
For context, Tamir Rice, a Black child, was tragically shot and killed by Loehmann while playing with a pellet gun outside a recreation center in Cleveland in 2014. The incident sparked widespread protests over police treatment of Black individuals, particularly after a grand jury declined to indict Loehmann or his partner.
Following the shooting, Cleveland settled a lawsuit with Tamir's family for $6 million, and Loehmann was ultimately fired for providing false information on his police officer application. Despite these events, Loehmann continued to seek employment in law enforcement, facing criticism and backlash in various communities.
Most recently, Loehmann was sworn in as the sole police officer in Tioga, Pennsylvania, but left without working a single shift due to public outcry over his hiring. In light of these events, White Sulphur Springs has appointed a new police chief, Deputy Chief Julian R. Byer Jr., to lead the department.
White Sulphur Springs, known for its Greenbrier resort owned by Governor Jim Justice, finds itself at the center of this controversy surrounding Loehmann's hiring and subsequent resignation.
