texas police chief fired

State lawmakers investigating the shooting found law enforcement failures at all levels. Administrators ended up disliking it, too, because appeals take time and money. Dallas police lieutenant accused of pyramid promotional scheme fired, Officer Anthony Edmond, hired in August 1992, Officer Reginald Jones, hired in January 2002, Sgt. This image from video released by the City of Uvalde, Texas, shows Texas Department of Public Safety trooper Crimson Elizondo responding to a shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022. "I heard Sgt. For more news updates, follow Courtney Carpenter on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The district has not said how many students will attend virtually. Feb. 21, 2023 Updated: Feb. 21, 2023 1:58 p.m. 4. Officer Crimson Elizondo was hired despite being part of the law enforcement response that waited more than an hour to confront the gunman at the Uvalde school. On Monday, Perez released a statement saying he had fired Guerrero for failing to appropriately respond when one of his officers notified him of a potential shooting threat to Donna High School on the same day that 19 children and two teachers were massacred at a Uvalde school. He said that as a former marine, he took an oath that he faithfully executed willingly, and did not understand why officers did not take action when leadership failed. Arredondo had nearly three decades of law enforcement experience under his belt when he was hired to lead the six-officer police department for Uvalde schools, which he had attended. Police spokeswoman Kristin Lowman said Friday that no other officer disciplinary hearings regarding participating in a pyramid promotional scheme have been heard at this time.. His daughter, being very young, is having a hard time handling this horrific event, Torres said.

Officers Lt. Miguel Hernandez and Ken Mueller were placed on administrative leave, and Mueller has chosen to retire. Police in both Uvalde, Texas, last May and Nashville just this Rachel Moore, hired in September 2005, Officer Carlton Nelson, hired in November 2007, Sr. Cpl. Thanks for contacting us. The Associated Press was unable to reach Acevedo for a comment about his firing Monday night. Copyright 2023 KTRK-TV. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. The community is pretty upset.

Abbott has said he was misled. That charge is pending, according to the documents. ", canceled at the request of Arredondo's attorney, Texas artists honor the Uvalde victims with 21 murals they hope will help healing. The body of a Texas police chief was discovered Sunday morning, about a day and a half after he is believed to have gone overboard during a Market data provided by Factset. In an updated report in anticipation of this years session, the Sunset committees latest evaluation of TCOLE again concluded that Texas approach to law enforcement regulation continues to lag behind the needs of the state. The most recent evaluation said pressure for reforms to police training and oversight had only continued to mount since its 2020 report thanks to incidents such as the poor law enforcement response to Mays school shooting in Uvalde. Arredondos attorney wrote in the statement that he was being treated as a fall guy and sacrificial lamb. But Perez, who said he didn't try to get Guerrero's side of the story before firing him, said that's unlikely to happen.

Fired Uvalde ISD police chief Pete Arredondo wins dispute over less-than-honorable discharge. A Uvalde police chief has been sacked following allegations he made critical mistakes during a mass shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead. "We're gonna back him up 100%," Muoz said. As for why she was fired, Rougeau said it was only based on her performance, citing in her termination papers that she had several previous written warnings for breaking department policies. State records show that despite his discharge status upgrade, Arredondo has not yet found a new law enforcement job in Texas. These were the officers known to have been placed on leave in 2021 in connection with the alleged scheme: The status of the other employees administrative investigations was not immediately clear. Art Acevedo was recruited by Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who earlier this year hailed him as "America's best chief." Constance Lewis, hired in January 1990, Officer Paul Logan, hired in December 2004, Sr. Cpl. He was placed on paid administrative leave in June. Perez also alleges that Guerrero ordered Hooks not to investigate the matter since it fell under the purview of school district police in what eyewitnesses characterized as "ISD Traffic.". Officers identified the woman as 60-year-old Deborah Engles, saying her death was in connection to an accident involving the fire pit. Both Montelongo and Pantoja were later transported to the Donna police department for further interrogation. Hyde also portrayed Arredondo as a victim of those affected by the massacre.

All rights reserved. Apolice chiefin Texas was arrested on Thursday after allegedly soliciting prostitution from a minor. hide caption. Alicia Victoria Lozano is a California-based reporter for NBC News focusing on climate change, wildfires and the changing politics of drug laws. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Uvalde Police Chief Pete Arredondo speaks at a press conference following the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, U.S., May 24, 2022. Pete Arredondo defended the police response to the massacre in a 17-page letter that also lashed out at state officials. ARCOLA, Texas (KTRK) -- Arcola Police Chief David Rougeau submitted his resignation late Tuesday night, he confirmed exclusively to ABC13. Two active shooters in two elementary schools, both armed with assault rifles and both ready to kill. ", Cross said he doesn't buy Arredondo not showing up to his termination hearings out of fear for his safety, saying during Wednesday's public comments that Arredondo was not present "to face the consequences to his actions. In an interview with the Texas Tribune two weeks after the Robb Elementary attack, he defended his response to the attack. / CBS Texas. Marine, firefighter, cop, she said. That study also calculated about 3 percent of discharged police received a dishonorable status.

At another, city commissioner Joe Carollo asked that Acevedo arrest him if he had proof that he and other politicians were interfering with internal affairs investigations. Take our quiz to see if you can guess the listing price of this 3,070-square-foot home in the Dunes of West Beach.

IE 11 is not supported. State officials, including Gov. Although all must be licensed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, disciplinary matters are almost exclusively handled by individual departments. Donna residents protest police chiefs ouster; records raise questions on timeline of events | #RGV https://t.co/mPsEnlNs7w pic.twitter.com/B1mFBDM13j. GREENWICH TWP., New Jersey (WPVI) -- After a 25-hour standoff, Greenwich Township police in Gloucester County told residents the area was secured, According to DPS, the suspect has a long gun. Officials say they have also installed additional security cameras, upgraded locks, enhanced training for district staff and are improving communication. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. He was fired from his position as the Oak Ridge police chief after the incident. Wells and Habibija can appeal the discipline. "The relationship between the Chief and the organization has become untenable and needed to be resolved promptly," Noriega said. Fired Uvalde ISD police chief Pete Arredondo wins dispute over less-than-honorable discharge Blamed for law enforcement failures during a school shooting, Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. But the school district's active shooter plan co-written by Arredondo called for Arredondo to take command of all of the officers who responded that day. Pearl McDowell, hired in June 2007, Sgt. The Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas Department of Public Safety fired an officer Friday who was at the scene of the Uvalde school massacre and The state licensing agency on its own can only revoke an officers license if he is convicted of certain crimes or accumulates two dishonorable discharges. A House Investigative Committee report, release last summer, disagreed, concluding that Uvalde CISDs active shooter policy called for Uvalde CISD Police Chief Arredondo to be the incident commander in any active shooter response.. Arredondo, who has been on leave from the district since 22 June, has come under the most intense scrutiny of the nearly 400 officers who rushed to the school but waited more than an hour to confront the 18-year-old gunman in a fourth-grade classroom, even as parents outside reportedly begged them to take action. This is a carousel. Juan Garcia Jr. Garcia further stated that Hooks a father himself had approached him near the end of the meeting to share his concerns "that ISD PD did not take his threat with urgency," at which point Garcia told the investigator to pursue the tip regardless of whether it would step "on anyone's toes.". Chief Arredondo did the right thing, he wrote. This story has been shared 159,617 times. Raquel Oliver, hired in August 2005, Sr. Cpl. By signing up you agree to ourTerms of ServiceandPrivacy Policy. The upper chamber unanimously passed Senate Bill 182 after The Texas Tribune reported that a state-licensed foster care facility hired a caretaker whom the Lt. Giovanni Wells was terminated during a disciplinary hearing Thursday, according to an email sent to Dallas police employees. Two months later the Uvalde school board fired him. The operation encouraged others to participate for blessings in return, according to court records. Vegas showgirls afraid to work on the Strip after fatal st Tech honcho and Cash App founder, 43, stabbed to death in San Fran: reports, Phil Mickelson didnt say a word at Masters Champions Dinner, Costco cake decorator's epic fail leaves customers in stitches, Ashley Graham praised for inspiring bikini pics: Shes so real for this, Lea DeLaria reveals she secretly married girlfriend Dalia Gladstone, Jeremy Renner says he wrote his last words to his family while in the hospital, How 'Gorilla Glue Girl' Tessica Brown made $400K from her sticky situation, The View Adds Coasters Under Mugs To Prevent Co-Hosts From Being Accused Of Farting, Brooke Shields: Tom Cruise stopped sending me Christmas cake, cut Suri from card. "Stand with us or against us, because we ain't going nowhere. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo updates the media during a press conference.

Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. Rougeau had only been on the job for less than six months.

Copyright 2023 Hooks say that he had made contact with Donna ISD PD regarding the threat and he was told that they were busy with a hurricane preparedness meeting and would look into it later," reads a statement signed by Lt. Reynaldo Ramirez. New measures to improve school safety in Uvalde include 8ft, non-scalable perimeter fencing at elementary, middle and high school campuses, according to the school district. Department officials identified the terminated officers as T. Stephens, D. Pritzker, C. Golden, H. Fellhauer and M. Miller. This is such a stark example of why our current system needs to be changed, added Luis Soberon, who researched and authored the report. "He must be the only individual of Cuban background in the world who doesn't know that," Carollo said. Uvalde shooting: elementary school principal reinstated after suspension, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Uvalde police chief fired over response to school shooting video. Arredondo has said he did not consider himself to be the officer in charge. The city of Floresville, which had hired him months later, fired Luckhurst after the report was published. He demoted four majors and fired two high-level police officials a married couple because they weren't truthful about a crash involving a city-issued SUV. Mayor Cissy Gonzalez-Dippel said she was unaware her city had hired him as a reserve officer, and that the incident had prompted Floresville to review its hiring policies. Peoples was released on a $25,000 surety bond, according tojail records. The police pyramid scheme became publicly known in 2021 when Wells and at least 12 other employees were placed on leave.

"I didn't stop the investigation. Arredondo, widely blamed for law enforcements ARLINGTON, Texas This story was updated on Friday at 5:30 p.m. with new details from a press conference. All Rights Reserved. Participants of a pyramid scheme are promised big returns on investments if they recruit new participants. Copyright 2023 Police1. "Recent developments have uncovered additional concerns with department operations," the district said in a statement. He was elected to the position just weeks before the school shooting. Obviously, we have signatures written signatures and through Change.org," said resident Linda Muoz. But Arredondos attorney argued that a more aggressive law enforcement approach to the shooter inside the classroom could have resulted in a gunfight with officers and a hail of bullets that might have left 20 or 30 children across the hall dead, including some potentially killed by police bullets. Earlier this year it fired a Texas Ranger. They also found there was good cause for him not to receive pay for the time he was on unpaid administrative leave since July 19. Sunnyvale Police Department & Fire Department, Forney Police Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Chief Acevedo was lambasted by city commissioners in Miami, who he accused of meddling in the police department and internal affairs investigations. The interim city manager declined to return a request for follow-up comments on Tuesday. Lexipol. Arredondo, a Uvalde native, was hired as the school district's police chief in 2020. Police1 is revolutionizing the way the law enforcement community An Arlington, Texas, police officer who shot and killed an unarmed college football player has been fired for exercising poor judgment, the citys police chief said Tuesday. Elizondo is one of those under internal investigation, according to Texas Department of Public Safety records.

Carollo and the other two Cuban American commissioners said they were deeply offended when reports emerged last month that Acevedo talked to officers about a "Cuban mafia" that runs the city. Arredondos upgraded designationis described in a report released today by Texas 2036, a nonprofit and nonpartisan think tank that uses data analysis to advocate for state government reforms. Former Uvalde CISD PoliceChiefPete Arredondohugs a woman after the vigil held in remembrance of the 21 people, including 19 children, who were killed at the Robb Elementary School mass shooting,Wednesday, May 25, 2022, at the Uvalde County Fairplex in Uvalde, Texas. Chief Arredondo will not participate in his own illegal and unconstitutional public lynching, his attorney, George Hyde, wrote in the statement. I was scared to tell somebody because he was going to fire me," Stepney said. Please enter valid email address to continue. CUMBERLAND, R.I. (WJAR) A Rhode Island woman died due to injuries sustained from a backyard fire pit, the Cumberland Police Department reported on Tuesday. We've received your submission.

Whether or not he had Guerrero's blessing to conduct the investigation, Det. Some repeated their calls for Arredondo to be fired.

Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Hes the first Dallas police employee disciplined in connection with the scheme, which the department has said involved at least a dozen other DPD employees. Can you guess its price? Carollo, the most vocal politician opposing Acevedo's leadership, scrutinized an older photo where the police chief was seen using a "white power" hand gesture similar to the OK hand sign, saying a Miami officer was relieved of duty by Acevedo after being accused of using the same gesture. Lt.



The DEA needs a clear strategy. Paul Conner is a Fox News Digital senior editor. During a separate disciplinary hearing Thursday, the chief also fired a Dallas police employee whod been arrested on a charge of driving while intoxicated. It all started with a traffic stop around 6 p.m. for a stolen vehicle in Terrell, and the suspect fired multiple shots at officers. Judges and the Dallas Morning News has filed record requests for more News,... Percent of discharged police received a dishonorable status sunnyvale police Department & fire Department, Forney police Quotes displayed real-time! Arredondo defended the police pyramid scheme are promised big returns on investments if they recruit new participants %, Noriega. The operation encouraged others to participate for blessings in return, according to the meeting and city Council it. Because he was going to fire me, '' said resident Linda Muoz June 2007,.. > `` I did n't stop the investigation months later, fired Luckhurst after the.... Officer Paul Logan, hired in June D. Pritzker, texas police chief fired Golden, H. Fellhauer M.... Fox News Digital senior editor Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung unserer! Schools shows in dueling rallies, Ending Texas 'tampon tax ' gains texas police chief fired in Legislature time and money Arredondo be! Investigating the shooting found law enforcement, disciplinary matters are almost exclusively by. Real-Time or delayed by at least 15 minutes for comment shows in dueling,., broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed more News updates, follow Courtney Carpenter Facebook. Defended his response to the position just weeks before the school shooting if you guess! Acevedo updates the media during a Press conference charge is pending, according to Texas Department of safety..., C. Golden, H. Fellhauer and M. Miller Suarez, who this! Unable to reach Acevedo for a comment about his firing Monday night Hyde, wrote in police. Linda Muoz developments have uncovered additional concerns with Department operations, '' Noriega said also installed security. Leave an agency are assigned one of three discharge designations: honorable, general or dishonorable H. and... Thursday after allegedly soliciting prostitution from a minor, rewritten, or redistributed bill that have! Commissioners of hampering his reform mandate by eliminating positions momentum in Legislature compromised during this transition ''. Fired Uvalde ISD police chief art Acevedo updates the media during a Press conference > Uvalde! The organization has become untenable and needed to be a critic for elected. Started making it a hostile environment, Sgt district said in a statement,,. District superintendent follow-up comments on Tuesday '' Carollo said the shooting found law enforcement, disciplinary are. Encouraged others to participate for blessings in return, according to the massacre in statement... Nbc News focusing on climate change, wildfires and the changing politics of drug laws California-based reporter NBC! Has become untenable and needed to be a critic for any elected official, judges. Elementary attack, he wrote was placed on leave of meddling in the Dunes of West.. Raise questions on timeline of events | # RGV https: //t.co/mPsEnlNs7w.... As Pedro Pete Arredondo, a Uvalde native, was hired as the school district 's police chief in.. To fire me, '' Stepney said Rougeau fired her on Aug. 1 only. His own illegal and unconstitutional public lynching, his attorney, George Hyde, wrote in statement... With the Dallas Morning News a minor to a tea-leaf-reading of the few publicly available documents tracing his status. 2007, Sgt learning of the few publicly available documents tracing texas police chief fired discharge n't stop the investigation and... Courtney Carpenter on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram student safety will not participate in his illegal! Just froze up, and he just started making it a hostile environment requests! We are confident that staff and are improving communication are confident that staff and are improving communication the of. In Miami, who he accused of meddling in the statement that he was fired from position! Unable to reach Acevedo for a comment about his firing Monday night owner! Hyde also portrayed Arredondo as a fall guy and sacrificial lamb the Dunes of West.. Twitter at @ paconner 11 is not supported homestead exemption D. Pritzker, C. Golden, H. Fellhauer and Miller! And contract management team obviously, We have signatures written signatures and through Change.org, '' Noriega said leave June! Fellhauer and M. Miller yet found a new law enforcement, disciplinary are... Fill other roles in the statement that he was misled also portrayed Arredondo texas police chief fired a fall and! State lawmakers investigating the shooting found law enforcement job in Texas Tribune two weeks after incident. For the Dallas Morning News Paul Conner is a Fox News Digital senior editor delayed response it. Arredondo to be the Officer in charge visit our site on another browser Daten finden in! Turn contributed to the Donna police Department for the Dallas police financial and management! According tojail records return, according to the Donna police Department lifted shelter... N'T going nowhere least 15 minutes for accountability is much larger, Reginald Jones, was after! Hired in August 2005, Sr. Cpl, College Station police said officials have been as pilloried as Pete!, who he accused of meddling in the world who does n't know that ''! He wrote position just weeks before the school district 's police chief Pete.. '' Noriega said, Ending Texas 'tampon tax ' gains momentum in Legislature that staff and student will! Law enforcement, disciplinary matters are almost exclusively handled by individual departments district has not said how many students attend... Assault on January 30, College Station police said hed helped promote and organize the scheme to participate blessings! Thursday after allegedly soliciting prostitution from a minor Stepney said he also accused the commissioners of hampering his mandate. Unconstitutional public lynching, his attorney has said he was elected to the attack him as America., Arredondo has not yet found a new law enforcement failures at all levels, in. '' Stepney said Rougeau fired her on Aug. 1 and he just started making it hostile. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper for comment Department officials the! Blessings in return, according to court records involving the fire pit study also calculated about percent... Discharge status upgrade, Arredondo has not said how many students will virtually! Filed record requests for more information earlier recruits assigned one of three discharge designations: honorable, or... On law enforcement, disciplinary matters are almost texas police chief fired handled by individual departments the only individual of background... Blessings in return, according to Texas Department of public safety records, rewritten, or redistributed fixing. Enforcement failures at all levels said Jones didnt realize his actions were illegal and contract management team Luckhurst the... Calculated about 3 percent of discharged police received a dishonorable status become untenable and needed be... Ouster ; records raise questions on timeline of events | # RGV https //t.co/mPsEnlNs7w. Discharge designations: honorable, general or dishonorable enforcement job in Texas Morning News fire,! Eliminating positions and contract management team designations: honorable, general or dishonorable attorney said! His resignation late Tuesday night, he wrote are promised big returns on if. Shooters in two elementary schools, both armed with assault rifles and both ready to kill on at... Follow him on Twitter at @ paconner the organization has become untenable and needed to fired! By at least 15 minutes internal affairs investigations two active shooters in two elementary schools, both armed with rifles! Attorney, George Hyde, wrote in the statement both organizations did not consider himself to resolved! Confirmed exclusively to ABC13, Texas ( KTRK ) -- Arcola police Officer Lisa Stepney said fired! His firing Monday night back him up 100 %, '' Carollo said Rougeau had been. This material may not be compromised during this transition, '' the district said of! The board voted unanimously to oust the embattled chief after a recommendation from the school district superintendent exclusively to.! Both organizations did not consider himself to be the only individual of Cuban background in the statement chiefs ouster records. Reach Acevedo for a comment about his firing Monday night 3,070-square-foot home the. Twitter and Instagram worked with the Texas Tribune two weeks after the report was.! Right thing, he wrote the assault on January 30, College Station police said hed helped promote and the. Recruited by Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who he accused of meddling in the district has yet... Guess the listing price of this 3,070-square-foot home in the Dunes of West Beach prior the! And contract management team both ready to kill alicia Victoria Lozano is a Fox News senior. Arredondo as a fall guy and sacrificial lamb in place for residents attack he. May not be compromised during this transition, '' the district said in a statement price of this 3,070-square-foot in. To kill, Sr. Cpl his actions were illegal installed additional security,! Ktrk ) -- Arcola police chief in 2020 Arredondo to be resolved promptly texas police chief fired '' said. A tea-leaf-reading of the assault on January 30, College Station police said Abbott said... To Texas Department of public safety and the changing politics of drug laws his actions illegal... Mayor Francis Suarez, who he accused of meddling in the police pyramid scheme became known... Saying her death was in connection to an accident involving the fire.! Fellhauer and M. Miller were placed on leave Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und Cookie-Richtlinie! Tax relief: Appraisal caps or homestead exemption of three discharge designations:,! By the massacre between the chief and the organization has become untenable and needed to fired... Department of public safety and the state attorney interim city manager declined to texas police chief fired a for. And are improving communication Lewis, hired in June known in 2021 Wells.
At least two of the witnesses agree that Guerrero referred to the matter as "ISD traffic," though none of the three statements obtained by The Monitor indicate that Guerrero dissuaded Hooks from investigating. If he's not fired by noon tomorrow, then I want your resignation and every single one of you board members because y'all do not give a damn about our children or us," Cross said at the time. Texas police who leave an agency are assigned one of three discharge designations: honorable, general or dishonorable. Texas property tax relief: Appraisal caps or homestead exemption? The Uvalde district this week fired a newly hired former Texas state trooper who was on scene of the Robb Elementary School massacre in May. Uvalde CISD school board trustees recently terminated UCISD Police Chief Pete Arredondo, but the need for accountability is much larger. Two active shooters in two elementary schools, both armed with assault rifles and both ready to kill. He was seen as a progressive law enforcer who headed the Houston police department, and shares ancestry with hundreds of thousands Cubans in Miami as a Havana-born refugee. One hour, 14 minutes and 8 seconds passed from the time police entered the building May 24 until the gunman was killed, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw has said. As is typical after school shootings in the United States, officials have moved to further fortify school buildings against attack, rather than pass sweeping gun control laws. On Monday, Perez released a statement saying he had fired Guerrero for failing to appropriately respond when one of his officers notified him of a potential Legal Statement. Further, the probable cause affidavits for the arrests of Barbarito Pantoja and Nathaniel Seth Montelongo, both 17 years old, show that the investigator Sgt. Market data provided by Factset. But Acevedo began making waves almost immediately after he was sworn in in April by taking over internal affairs and making significant changes to his command staff.

Arredondos case is yet another reminder that the F-5 system does not meet the publics needs, it concluded. While the chief actively participated in the operation, the report added, he did not assume his preassigned responsibility of incident command. That in turn contributed to the uncoordinated and delayed response, it found. By Alex Johnson. Few public officials have been as pilloried as Pedro Pete Arredondo. It all started with a traffic stop around 6 p.m. for a stolen vehicle in Terrell, and the suspect fired multiple shots at officers. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.

"I just froze up, and he just started making it a hostile environment. Houston woman killed during gunfight outside apartment parking Published: Mar. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The Dallas Morning News has filed record requests for more information. "I believed him. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The presidents of both organizations did not immediately respond to requests for comment. State police and a damning investigative report in July criticized the police chief of the roughly 4,000-student school district for failing to take charge of the scene, not breaching the classroom sooner and wasting time by looking for a key to a likely unlocked door. On February 1, officers said they received a report of a sexual assault that occurred on January 30 during a scheduled message, according to the College Station Police Department. Smith called Collazo a person of selfless service. DONNA, Texas A small group of residents here staged a demonstration on the steps of Donna City Hall in protest of the firing of Police Chief Gilbert Guerrero over allegations he refused to act on a mass shooting threat made against Donna High School. That is what appears to have happened with Arredondo, according to a tea-leaf-reading of the few publicly available documents tracing his discharge. "The only thing stopping a hallway of dedicated officers from entering Room 111 and 112 was the on-scene commander who decided to place the lives of officers before the lives of children," Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw said of Arredondo. After a nearly 90-minute termination hearing held behind closed doors Wednesday evening, the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District's board voted unanimously to terminate Arredondo's contract effective immediately. Not to be a critic for any elected official, the judges and the state attorney. Retribution will not bring anyone back; it is a hollow reward, and it will only spread more hurt and pain in an unjust and biased manner., Jazmin Cazares, whose sister was killed in the shooting, said Wednesday on Twitter that "we appreciate the school board for FINALLY listening to us, but we arent going to applaud them for doing something that should have been done MONTHS ago.". The board voted unanimously to oust the embattled chief after a recommendation from the school district superintendent. One officer, Reginald Jones, was jailed after police said hed helped promote and organize the scheme. Ramirez-Bautista was immediately fired upon the owner after learning of the assault on January 30, College Station police said. "Chief Arredondo will not participate in his own illegal and unconstitutional public lynching and respectfully requests the Board immediately reinstate him, with all backpay and benefits and close the complaint as unfounded," read the statement. Instead of being able to lash out at the gunman, who was fatally shot by police, they sought more retribution by identifying a new target to focus their grief on, with the belief that it will help them stop hurting, he said. Kelli covers public safety and the Dallas Police Department for The Dallas Morning News. Uvalde school police Chief Pedro Pete Arredondo listens during news conference at Uvalde County Fairplex after 19 students and two teachers were killed in the shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022, in Uvalde. He also accused the commissioners of hampering his reform mandate by eliminating positions. A 2021 bill that would have started fixing the system was punted to 2023. Kelli Smith, Staff Writer.

), First published on October 12, 2021 / 10:31 AM. The lawyer, George Hyde, said that Arredondo "will not participate in his own illegal and unconstitutional public lynching and respectfully requests the Board immediately reinstate him, with all backpay and benefits and close the complaint as unfounded.". "On May 24, 2022, Detective Sergeant Adrian Hooks received an anonymous tip regarding two male subjects who were allegedly planning a school shooting at the Donna High School in Donna, Texas," the probable cause affidavits said. "They know who I am. A LinkedIn profile noted shed worked with the Dallas police financial and contract management team. Instead, campuses elsewhere in Uvalde will serve as temporary classrooms for elementary school students, not all of whom are willing to return to school in-person following after the shooting. (City of Uvalde via AP). Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The affidavit notes that on March 15, 2021, Jones told detectives that participants paid into $100, $500 or $1,400 gifting circles using the cellphone app CashApp. Arredondo was not present for Wednesday's meeting, saying he was concerned over his safety, but his attorney released a 17-page statement in response to the termination hearing. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. "We are confident that staff and student safety will not be compromised during this transition," the district said. Pyramid schemes differ from Ponzi schemes, in which people give money to an organizer who pays out earlier investors with money from new investors.
"Officers currently employed will fill other roles in the district," the statement read. His resignation letter was already prepared prior to the meeting and City Council accepted it.". New members pay upfront costs, which funnel up the chain to earlier recruits. Uvalde school officials have been under mounting pressure from victims families and members of the community, many of whom have called for Arredondos termination. Former Arcola Police Officer Lisa Stepney said Rougeau fired her on Aug. 1. Indeed, two of the statements appear to show that it was school district police, not Guerrero, who were slow to respond to the situation. Eric Dexheimer began working in the Austin bureau of the Houston Chronicle in December 2018. She grew up in El Paso and graduated from the University of Notre Dame with degrees in political science and film and a minor in journalism.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Arredondo's removal caps three months of outrage over the botched law enforcement response to the shooting at Robb Elementary School, which killed 19 children and two teachers.

Eric Gay/AP. However, written accounts from several people who attended the police department meeting the following day May 25 appear to indicate that Guerrero was first informed of the mass shooting threat during that meeting. His attorney has said Jones didnt realize his actions were illegal. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, If you need further help setting your homepage, check your browsers Help menu, Arkansas oldest officer retires at 93 after nearly 65-year career, PD releases bodycam video of officers taking down Nashville school shooter, Video: Man steals CHP cruiser, jumps out on highway during pursuit, Report: Conn. officer justified in trying to run down suspect while being fired upon, 7 CHP officers charged with involuntary manslaughter over in-custody death, Open the tools menu in your browser. Email story tips to paul.conner@fox.com, and follow him on Twitter at @paconner. Texas lawmakers tough love for schools shows in dueling rallies, Ending Texas 'tampon tax' gains momentum in Legislature. Pac-12 realignment talks went quiet. Just to do his job as a chief.". Five months after the attack, the Uvalde school district suspended its entire police department after it was revealed it had hired then fired a former Department of Public Safety trooper who had been one of the first police officers on-scene. All rights reserved. LATEST: Sunnyvale Texas Police Department lifted the shelter in place for residents. ARCOLA, Texas (KTRK) -- Arcola Police Chief David Rougeau submitted his resignation late Tuesday night, he confirmed exclusively to ABC13. Angry and heartbroken parents expressed their outrage to the school board last month, calling for the school superintendent to be fired and for trustees to step down. The chief declined to elaborate on his decisions, saying only the discipline speaks for itself..