CLEVELAND — Samaria Rice, mother of slain 12-year-old Tamir Rice, is delivering more than 170,000 signed petitions to the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association to stop its president, Jeff Follmer, from rehiring Timothy Loehmann, the former officer who shot and killed 12-year-old Tamir Rice in 2014.
RELATED: Tamir Rice's mother describes horror of losing her son
In a news conference Monday, Rice delivered boxes containing the signatures that support her fight prevent the rehiring of Loehmann. Last month, Rice confronted Follmer at the Cleveland Community Police Commission meeting with petitions, but he didn’t accept them, according to a news release on behalf of Rice.
The CPPA filed an appeal in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Court in March to overturn the firing of Loehmann, who was rehired as a police officer in 2018 for the city of Bellaire. Rice and community urged Bellaire’s police department not to hire him. Amid backlash in Bellaire, Loehmann withdrew his application.
Since her son’s death, Rice has called for justice and police accountability.
"I want the police to approach our women and children with respect. At the end of the day, CPPA's interest is to protect the police, regardless of officer misconduct, and that is in conflict with reform efforts and public trust," Rice said in a news release.
RELATED:Tamir Rice's mother speaks out against former Cleveland officer trying to get his job back
