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Uvalde Suspends Its Entire School Police Force Uvalde Suspends Its Entire School Police Force
(about 5 hours later)
HOUSTON — The school district in Uvalde, Texas, said on Friday that it had suspended the operations of its Police Department amid ongoing questions about its officers’ response to the May 24 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School and a sustained protest by victims’ parents.HOUSTON — The school district in Uvalde, Texas, said on Friday that it had suspended the operations of its Police Department amid ongoing questions about its officers’ response to the May 24 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School and a sustained protest by victims’ parents.
The district had previously fired the chief of the department, Pete Arredondo, who state officials have said was the incident commander during the shooting and bore responsibility for delaying a confrontation with the gunman for over an hour after the shooting began. The gunman killed 19 children and two teachers.The district had previously fired the chief of the department, Pete Arredondo, who state officials have said was the incident commander during the shooting and bore responsibility for delaying a confrontation with the gunman for over an hour after the shooting began. The gunman killed 19 children and two teachers.
But according to a state investigatory committee report, the failures of the police response at the school extended beyond Mr. Arredondo to include many other officers from local, state and federal agencies who similarly did not follow standard police training, which calls for officers to rush to confront an actively shooting gunman.
On Friday, the school district said in a statement that it had placed the officer who took over for Mr. Arredondo, Lt. Miguel Hernandez, and another district employee, Ken Mueller, on administrative leave. Mr. Mueller, the director of student services, had decided to retire, the statement said.On Friday, the school district said in a statement that it had placed the officer who took over for Mr. Arredondo, Lt. Miguel Hernandez, and another district employee, Ken Mueller, on administrative leave. Mr. Mueller, the director of student services, had decided to retire, the statement said.
“Recent developments have uncovered additional concerns with department operations,” the district said in explaining its decision.“Recent developments have uncovered additional concerns with department operations,” the district said in explaining its decision.
The statement did not detail what those developments were, but the move comes amid a long-running protest at the district offices by several relatives of the victims who at times blocked employees from entering.The statement did not detail what those developments were, but the move comes amid a long-running protest at the district offices by several relatives of the victims who at times blocked employees from entering.
Brett Cross, who camped out outside the offices for nine nights, went home on Friday, saying that he and the other families saw the district’s decision as a direct result of their efforts.Brett Cross, who camped out outside the offices for nine nights, went home on Friday, saying that he and the other families saw the district’s decision as a direct result of their efforts.
“It shouldn’t have had to last this long,” said Mr. Cross, who raised his nephew, Uziyah Garcia, 10, like a son until the day he was killed at the school. “It’s our first win, but it won’t be the last.”“It shouldn’t have had to last this long,” said Mr. Cross, who raised his nephew, Uziyah Garcia, 10, like a son until the day he was killed at the school. “It’s our first win, but it won’t be the last.”
The suspension of the Police Department — which consisted of five officers, including Lieutenant Hernandez, and a security guard, according to its website — also followed revelations by CNN that the school district over the summer had hired a new officer, previously employed by the Texas Department of Public Safety, who had been among those first at the scene at Robb Elementary but did not move to confront the gunman. The district fired the officer, Crimson Elizondo, shortly after the report on Thursday. The school district also notified staff members and parents on Friday that the superintendent, Hal Harrell, planned to retire. His retirement would be the subject of a closed-door session during a school board meeting on Monday, according to the posted agenda.
The suspension of the Police Department — which consisted of five officers, including Lieutenant Hernandez, and a security guard — also followed revelations by CNN that the school district over the summer hired a former Texas Department of Public Safety officer who had been among those first at the scene at Robb Elementary but did not move to confront the gunman.
In police body camera footage released by the City of Uvalde, the officer, Crimson Elizondo, can be seen with her gun drawn just outside the school.
Other footage, which appeared to be from her own body camera and was published by CNN, captured Officer Elizondo suggesting that she might not have stayed outside the school if her own child were inside.
“If my son had been in there, I would not have been outside,” she said. “I promise you that.”
Some parents recognized her from the footage as one of several new officers who had been hired by the Uvalde school district — having left her job with the state — to provide additional security on school campuses.
The district fired Ms. Elizondo shortly after the new video footage surfaced on Thursday, and faced new questions about how much it had known about the nature of her role in the May 24 response.
According to emails and other paperwork provided by the Department of Public Safety, the Uvalde school police supervisor who had been directly involved in hiring her, Lieutenant Hernandez, had been informed that Ms. Elizondo was one of several officers who were under investigation by the state police into “actions inconsistent with training and department requirements.”
“That school district had full information about the status of the person they chose to go ahead and hire,” said Gov. Greg Abbott when asked on Thursday about Ms. Elizondo. “It’s up to the school district, not D.P.S., not anybody else, to have to own up to the poor decision that they made.”
But Roland Gutierrez, a state senator representing the area, said that Mr. Abbott appeared eager to “pass the buck” when it came to the officer.
“If you look at the letter that was sent by D.P.S., it says nothing about her being investigated for her role in Uvalde,” State Senator Gutierrez said.
The hiring of the former state trooper by the Uvalde school district had been part of an effort to increase the size of its Police Department, which operates separately from the far larger Uvalde Police Department and has jurisdiction over school campuses.
Instead, because of the suspension announced on Friday, the district will, for a time, operate without its own small cadre of officers.
In its statement, the district said it has asked for additional officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety to provide security for its schools.In its statement, the district said it has asked for additional officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety to provide security for its schools.