Let’s get straight to the brass tacks of this discussion: Pete Arredondo’s name is mud within the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District.
He needs to be fired from his job as the ISD’s police chief. The Uvalde CISD board is meeting Saturday to decide whether to fire him.
Yes. By all means imaginable, the chief needs to go. Immediately. There must not be any separation agreement. Just can the chief. The man has no support within the grieving district.
He failed in responding appropriately to the shooter who walked into Robb Elementary School and slaughtered19 children and two heroic teachers. Arredondo said he didn’t know he was in charge. Well, he should have known. He should have taken command. He should have ordered his officers into the room where the shooter was murdering his victims.
He didn’t do any of it. He dawdled and waited around as the shooter kept on killing his victims.
I am not going to suggest any criminal prosecution for Arredondo. He will, however, likely be served with plenty of wrong death lawsuits from the families of those he betrayed by his failure to protect those children and their valiant educators.
This is a no-brainer, school trustees.
However, bear in mind that a legislative report labeled the incident a “systemic failure” at all levels. Firing the Uvalde CISD chief of police is just one step needed to repair what went so tragically wrong.