The entire police department for the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District has been suspended because of its response to the Robb Elementary school shooting after “recent developments … uncovered additional concerns with department operations.”
The massacre occurred on May 24 and left 19 students and two teachers dead.
Uvalde CISD released a statement reading, “The District has made the decision to suspend all activities of the Uvalde CISD Police Department for a period of time. Officers currently employed will fill other roles in the district.”
According to the statement, Lt. Miguel Hernandez and Ken Mueller have been placed on administrative leave.
The Texas Police Chiefs Association is currently conducting an organizational review of the department, and its report is expected to be released later this month.
Uvalde CISD stated it plans to rebuild the school district’s police department after the association’s report is released. The district noted it would review the findings, then hire a new police chief.
Meanwhile, the district said it had requested additional state troopers to patrol its campuses.
“We are confident that staff and student safety will not be compromised during this transition,” the district explained.
This mass suspension of school district officers follows Uvalde CISD’s decision to fire a newly hired officer who was revealed to be under investigation for her response during the massacre at Robb Elementary.
The district said it fired former Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Crimson Elizondo over comments she made on the day of the shooting that were recorded from her body camera.
“We are deeply distressed by the information that was disclosed yesterday evening concerning one of our recently hired employees, Crimson Elizondo,” the district said in a previous statement. “We sincerely apologize to the victims’ families and the greater Uvalde community for the pain that this revelation has caused.”
Elizondo was recorded saying, “If my son had been in there, I would not have been outside, I promise you that.”
