“Our community is divided. It’s hurting.” Daniel Meyer said.
by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian
Top picture: screen capture from City of Uvalde Livestream.
Prior to the Uvalde City Council vote to adjourn Tuesday night’s April 22nd meeting, Mayor Pro-tem Everardo “Lalo” Zamora presented the City’s official statement on the independent JPPI Report former Mayor Don McLaughlin and the City Council commissioned. In the statement, it both acknowledges that the City’s police officers did follow department policies but lacked the necessary training and equipment to adequately protect the community.
While Brett Cross, Kimberly Rubio and other victim’s parents have demanded the firing of several City of Uvalde Police officers who responded to the May 24th Robb Elementary School Tragedy, according to the City’s statement, it appears the City Council is focused on supporting Uvalde Police Chief Homer Delgado’s plans to implement sweeping changes planned for the City’s police department rather than going back to address or reprimand individual police officers.
Emilia Amy Marin, a survivor of the Robb School massacre, addressed the Council at the beginning of Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.
“The families of the victims and survivors are tired, exhausted of playing the waiting game. We are exhausted. You as City officials need to be the change the whole world to see,” Marin said.
The city council convened into a closed door executive session at 6:33 PM and then reconvened into open council meeting at 7:05 PM where at that time Zamora read the following statement:
“We have a statement with the City Council commission the independent investigation at the request of the former mayor in the immediate aftermath of the Robb Elementary shooting. With the goal of having an objective outside assessment clarity to the events of the tragic day.
According to the report, Marin quoted the following: “‘We located the following 16 transmissions that were not relayed and/or acknowledged by the dispatchers that may have helped the officers.’ Have y’all read that?
“The address of the crash was given but the name of the school was left out. The dispatcher did not repeat traffic, ‘Shots fired. Shots fired at Robb School,'” Marin said with strong emotion.
“You know what needs to be done but you are not doing it.” Marin said. She concluded by saying, “Be the change and do something good.”
Pastor Daniel Meyer also spoke, leveling harsh criticism towards the council. “Our community is divided. It’s hurting.”
We acknowledge the report was presented in such a way that did not foster the city’s effort to help the community heal.”
Based on the report’s finding as supported by other consultants who contributed to the report the conclusion supported the officers complied with UPD policies at the time of the shooting however the bottom line is that members of our beloved community were not adequately protected that day by Uvalde Police Department.
The Uvalde Police department’s policies were outdated and the department lacked the proper training equipment to protect our community: that is changing.
At the direction of Council and the city manager as part of Chief Delgado’s recently announced Guardian initiative, Uvalde Police Department is undertaking a detailed review of all department personnel policies, procedures, training and equipment to make sure the entire police force is operating at the top of its potential.
The City will not commission another report.
We are focused on Chief Delgado rebuilding the policy, the police department in which he will evaluate all aspects of the Uvalde Police Department and make the necessary changes or improvements to ensure our community is safe, “Zamora said,
Brett Cross responded lividly to the City’s statement on X formerly Twitter: “Uvalde contines to Fk us over.”
Related
