The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District has chosen to suspend its entire police department because of recent developments in an outside investigation that uncovered “additional concerns,” according to a statement released by the police department on Friday afternoon.

The five-paragraph statement, which reiterates the fact that UCISD is still in the middle of an outside investigation of its police department, includes the fact that Lt. Mike Hernandez and Ken Mueller have been placed on administrative leave. Hernandez was serving as UCISD’s interim police chief. Mueller has been the district’s director of student services since 2017.

“As a result of the recent developments, Lt. Miguel Hernandez and Ken Mueller have been placed on administrative leave, and the district has made the decision to suspend all activities of the Uvalde CISD police department for a period of time,” according to the statement. “Officers currently employed will fill other roles in the district. Ken Mueller has elected to retire.”

What You Need To Know

  • UCISD is conducting an external investigation of the conduct of its police force during the Robb Elementary mass shooting

  • New developments in the outside review led to administrative leave for two school district employees, suspension of the department

  • The outside review, which should be concluded this month, will guide the structure of a new department, outcome of current officers

  • UCISD has requested DPS assistance in providing security for extracurricular activities

The decision coincides with days of protests from parents and community members in Uvalde who often have blocked the front doors of the district's administration building, calling on the school board and superintendent to be more accountable after a mass shooting on May 24 killed 19 students and two teachers. Many want to see the entire police department fired for its inaction on the day of the shooting. 

The law enforcement response that day has been heavily criticized, even called an “abject failure.” It took law enforcement 77 minutes to make entry into the classroom where the gunman was holed up. Former Police Chief Pete Arredondo was put on leave and eventually fired in in August.

Supt. Hal Harrell and the UCISD school board have insisted actions will be taken at the department after an investigation is completed by the Texas Police Chiefs Association and JPPI, a private investigations firm based in Austin.

Friday’s development comes one day after a newly hired Uvalde CISD police officer was fired. CNN identified that officer as former Department of Public Safety trooper Crimson Elizondo, who was among the first members of law enforcement to respond to Robb Elementary that day. She remains under investigation by DPS. In its release on Thursday, the district stated that Elizondo's statement on audio was not consistent with the district's expectations.

The audio mentioned would appear to refer to comments made by Elizondo while on the Robb campus. Elizondo can be heard, on her body camera, saying she would not be outside the building if her son was on the campus, according to reporting by CNN.

According to the district's statement on Friday, the review by the Texas Police Chiefs Association will guide how a new department will be organized. The information provided by JPPI will inform the district's actions on individual officers. The district expects the report to be completed this month.

This is the first time the district has announced a time frame for the report's completion. 

The district has asked Texas DPS to provide additional troops to secure campuses and extracurricular activities in the meantime.

The district’s news release follows:

Uvalde Suspends Police Activity by Craig on Scribd