The Uvalde school district, which was put on the map when Salvador Ramos massacred 19 children and 2 adults, has just suspended it’s entire police force.
Via ABC News:
The Uvalde, Texas, school district — still facing withering criticism over its police department’s failings both during the May 24 elementary school massacre and since — announced the suspension of the entire district police force on Friday.
The district said it’s requested more Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to be stationed on campuses and at extra-curricular activities, adding, “We are confident that staff and student safety will not be compromised during this transition.”
The length of the school district police department suspension is not clear.
Lt. Miguel Hernandez, who was tasked with leading the department in the fallout from the attack, and Ken Mueller, the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District’s director of student services, were placed on administrative leave. Mueller elected to retire, according to the school district.
“Officers currently employed will fill other roles in the district,” the school district said.
Kimberly Rubio, whose daughter, Lexi, was killed at Robb Elementary, said Friday’s news was “what we’ve been asking for — it’s more than we’ve been asking for.”
She commended the suspension of the entire department. “They don’t know how to hire people, they don’t know how to vet officers,” Rubio said. “They haven’t provided proper training.”
The school district’s move comes one day after the firing of Crimson Elizondo, an officer who was hired by Uvalde’s school district despite being under investigation for her conduct as a DPS trooper during the massacre, which claimed the lives of 19 students and two teachers.
Given the horrible police response to the massacre, I can’t say as I blame them.
And it sounds like this is what the people in the community wants.
UPDATE: I misread this as it being the city of Uvalde. I apologize for the error and have corrected it.