Trump-loving police union chief ousted after black members revolt

Steve Loomis, the former president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association, was ousted this week in the wake of a revolt by black police officers who were upset about his endorsement of President Donald Trump, among other factors.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that Loomis lost his election race this week against former union president Jeff Follmer by just 38 votes. Loomis has long been a polarizing figure within the department, especially after he offered Trump a full-throated endorsement during the 2016 presidential election.

"Loomis has made headlines for several controversial issues, including having the union vote, and endorse, Donald Trump for President," the Plain Dealer writes. "It was the first time in the union's history that it endorsed a presidential candidate, sparking outrage from the Cleveland Police's Black Shield, a separate union that represents black officers."

Loomis has also stirred controversy in Cleveland in his attempts to appeal the firing of officer Timothy Loehmann, who fatally shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice in 2014, and for his criticism of Cleveland Browns players who knelt during the national anthem to protest police violence in the United States.