School policing should be transferred to city

www.uvaldeleadernews.com
July 24, 2022

William J. Cox

As I read about consolidating classrooms and teachers and the budget for security, I see further evidence for the need to immediately, over the summer, transfer the policing of schools to the Uvalde Police Department, and absorb the officers and equipment into the PD. 

The greatest failure was the absence of command and control because the school district in its attempt to protect students against gun violence established a tiny police department which was designed to handle it. In reality, it established an impediment to an immediate response, as UPD officers took fire, and tactically retreated. The chief of school police was on site, but he did not take tactical command at the scene, which should have been done by the first responding UPD sergeant, but he wasn’t in charge. That will always be a problem.

Accept also, that reestablishing the age limit of 21 for assault weapons will do nothing to prevent these overwhelming violent, insane gun attacks, as this entire shooting could have been as easily accomplished with a Glock nine and a pocket full of clips. These are all semi-automatic weapons that can be fired quickly, and reloaded quickly, with little practice.

The UPD should implement a program of random patrol drive by and walk through visits by officers during slow periods to learn the schools, administrators and students, instead of having a specialized force. Every officer should be a school officer.

Redefine the mission of the police department to be peace officers, soften the image, rather than harden the warrior Robocop. Officers should not be routinely involved in disciplinary matters and arresting students, as those matters continue to challenge district administrators.

You were right to oppose the school police department, and the district should now bite the bullet, and dissolve to reduce its continuing liability in offering the same defective policing. Had the district left well enough alone, the UPD probably would have handled the incident differently, undoubtedly better.

I see that the city manager says that plans are in the works for a permanent memorial. I keep imagining the soaring lighted, metal framework at the intersection of the two transcontinental highways in the square between the courthouse and city hall, with a revolving beacon visible for miles. 

Imagine the framework supporting a round pergola over a fountain, that waters climbing plants and provides summer mists and a place for the people of Uvalde to come together in the cool shade of a circle of 21 trees and promenade, to remember each of the victims of gun violence, a place to celebrate life in peace and safety. Attached framework would not be terribly expensive to design and construct out of curved I steel, perhaps at the local SWTJC, lifted and bolted into place and illuminated at night to be seen for 20 miles or more, and begin to weld guns and other surrendered weapons to the monument each week or month.

I liked what the DA had to say. Nothing.

Texas Brave remains formally and ignored before the three boards, which to work would require all three to pass a resolution asking the State Legislature if it might be a better solution than raising the age of an assault weapon back up to 21.

Texas-born public interest lawyer and author William John “Billy Jack” Cox joined the Los Angeles Police Department in 1968 and went on to serve 50 years in the U.S. justice system, helping to establish the first Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission in California, where he now lives.