The Plain Dealer is reporting that Cleveland’s top cop spokesman Steve Loomis was voted out of office after a close match-up over the weekend. Starting in January, the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association will be headed up by Jeffrey Follmer, a longtime vice detective. Loomis lost his seat by fewer than ten votes.
Since 2006, Loomis was the head of the union, steering Cleveland law enforcement through rough waters, including layoffs, the vice pinch of SB5, and the Plain Dealer’s ongoing coverage of officer conduct. He also was never afraid to step up to the plate for his guys, lobbing vocal criticism at Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, city council members, Governor John Kasich, and the press.
In 2007, former Scene staff writer Joe Tone put together a memorable profile of Loomis, heavy on details and anecdotes about the day-to-day of a union head. It’s a good read, worth diving into.
This article appears in Nov 16-22, 2011.
Political jobs with the Police has to be a jungle. You go to bat for the cops..you get jumped by the PD and the politicians..You punish the cops and judge them, and you do not get honesty from the cops you represent. Ten votes is not a failure on Loomis’ part..he had almost as many backers. He’s probably happy to get out of the political game for awhile and let someone else have some headaches. I just hope everyone can learn to work better together in Cleveland and Ohio and the USA and the world, and drop the party crap. In case you haven’t seen..it is not working. The blame of one religion over another or one political party over another or one race over another must become less harmful. If we don’t see how dysfuctional party lines can be, look at congress. Holy, moly.