I know we don’t always agree Mr. Ramirez, but thank you for creating this one, shame on them all. In my opinion the whole department should be fired and replaced for a more competent police force! Oh, and if fired, they should not be allowed to join any other police department for the rest of their lives! I’m sorry for feeling this way, but those children deserved better protection, instead of calling 911 for nothing!
The Uvalde police said they were waiting for “more support”. Too bad they didn’t consider that the kids needed support more than they did. As they say, “No evolution is ever a total waste. It can always be used as a negative example”.
And they are still changing their stories. I would like to know how come that self locking school door failed to lock. Those things are 99.999% reliable, yet on this day that door failed to lock.
In the wake of an attack that left 19 children and two teachers dead in Uvalde, Texas, advocates, policymakers and media outlets have repeatedly cited one number: 40%. That’s about how much of Uvalde’s budget is spent on the police department.
“40% of Uvalde’s city budget goes to police. The school district had its own police force. This is what happened,” wrote Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter, linking to a tweet describing officers’ slow response to the shooting.
For Uvalde, which has roughly 16,000 residents, the $4 million police budget is the biggest expense in the city budget this year, funded at a proportion that’s higher than some peers but far from abnormal. An analysis of a sampling of 15 other cities with populations between 15,000 and 20,000 in 10 states, some dominated by Republicans and others by Democrats, show that on average, policing accounted for 32% of their general-fund budgets in 2022.
I normally trash talk the police… but in their defense:
On average, a police officer in America gets 652 hours of training. A plumber gets 3,500 hours. A nurse gets 4,500 hours. A freaking cosmetologist gets 3,000 hours. In comparison, in Australia, a police officer gets 3,500 hours, in Germany, 4,050 hours.
On top of that, the pay isn’t great (unless you are in California). The average salary for a police officer in Texas is quite low by world standards.
So, you give crap training, cheap salaries, and what do you expect?
“Defund” the police was always a stupid slogan. It should be “demilitarize” the police. Put the funding towards mental health training, prevention, community outreach and salaries. Not bigger guns and armored vehicles.
What was missing in that hallway was strong leadership and clear communication. The good guys had more than enough firepower, but they weren’t sure what they were up against. Knowledge was piecemeal and siloed. Information from inside the classroom, conveyed in desperate calls to a 911 operator, was not reaching them. Some of the police were apparently under the mistaken impression that the gunman was holed up alone. Some may have believed they were waiting for a door key, or a crowbar.
All were waiting for the word “go” from a person they knew to be in charge.
These failures all stem from the same root cause: America has far too many police departments.
By piecing together various accounts, we conclude that officers were quickly on the scene from at least four agencies: the Uvalde school district police, the Uvalde city police, the Uvalde county sheriff and — eventually — the U.S. Border Patrol. Texas Rangers arrived at some point, as did the FBI. That’s six agencies in a city of about 16,000 people.
It is up to Texans to demand accountability. Those in power in Texas keep changing the story and as long as the Republicans insist on protecting each other, the truth will suffer.
To protect and to serve…themselves, then run for cover! Utterly and inexcusably shameful behavior by the Uvalde P.D. God give rest and comfort to the souls of those poor victims.
DangerBunny almost 2 years ago
Ramirez gets it correct again. Still has a ways to go, but there’s some humanity to work with after all.
knutdl almost 2 years ago
Blame the NRA:Guns are for children, not the police.Protect the police.
imagenesis almost 2 years ago
I know we don’t always agree Mr. Ramirez, but thank you for creating this one, shame on them all. In my opinion the whole department should be fired and replaced for a more competent police force! Oh, and if fired, they should not be allowed to join any other police department for the rest of their lives! I’m sorry for feeling this way, but those children deserved better protection, instead of calling 911 for nothing!
s49nav almost 2 years ago
The Uvalde police said they were waiting for “more support”. Too bad they didn’t consider that the kids needed support more than they did. As they say, “No evolution is ever a total waste. It can always be used as a negative example”.
FrankErnesto almost 2 years ago
And they are still changing their stories. I would like to know how come that self locking school door failed to lock. Those things are 99.999% reliable, yet on this day that door failed to lock.
The Nodding Head almost 2 years ago
How about we bury the “good guys with guns” myth alongside those poor kids. BAN RAPID-FIRE WEAPONS
Olddog1 almost 2 years ago
Dangerous jobs: lumberjack, commercial fishing. Safest job in U.S: Uvalde police officer.
1BlackLivesMatter Premium Member almost 2 years ago
Q: What do you get when you "defund the police? A: The Uvalde Police Department.
claudio645 almost 2 years ago
^^^Facts disagree
In the wake of an attack that left 19 children and two teachers dead in Uvalde, Texas, advocates, policymakers and media outlets have repeatedly cited one number: 40%. That’s about how much of Uvalde’s budget is spent on the police department.
“40% of Uvalde’s city budget goes to police. The school district had its own police force. This is what happened,” wrote Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter, linking to a tweet describing officers’ slow response to the shooting.
For Uvalde, which has roughly 16,000 residents, the $4 million police budget is the biggest expense in the city budget this year, funded at a proportion that’s higher than some peers but far from abnormal. An analysis of a sampling of 15 other cities with populations between 15,000 and 20,000 in 10 states, some dominated by Republicans and others by Democrats, show that on average, policing accounted for 32% of their general-fund budgets in 2022.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-28/why-police-funding-makes-up-40-uvalde-s-city-budget
Jack7528 almost 2 years ago
Sad but true.
Zebrastripes almost 2 years ago
Horrible…the whole department needs to be replaced!
ChristopherBurns almost 2 years ago
So much for “a good guy with a gun”, right? How about we don’t let civilians own guns that are more powerful than the police’s guns?
Aliquid almost 2 years ago
I normally trash talk the police… but in their defense:
On average, a police officer in America gets 652 hours of training. A plumber gets 3,500 hours. A nurse gets 4,500 hours. A freaking cosmetologist gets 3,000 hours. In comparison, in Australia, a police officer gets 3,500 hours, in Germany, 4,050 hours.
On top of that, the pay isn’t great (unless you are in California). The average salary for a police officer in Texas is quite low by world standards.
So, you give crap training, cheap salaries, and what do you expect?
“Defund” the police was always a stupid slogan. It should be “demilitarize” the police. Put the funding towards mental health training, prevention, community outreach and salaries. Not bigger guns and armored vehicles.
martens almost 2 years ago
What was missing in that hallway was strong leadership and clear communication. The good guys had more than enough firepower, but they weren’t sure what they were up against. Knowledge was piecemeal and siloed. Information from inside the classroom, conveyed in desperate calls to a 911 operator, was not reaching them. Some of the police were apparently under the mistaken impression that the gunman was holed up alone. Some may have believed they were waiting for a door key, or a crowbar.
All were waiting for the word “go” from a person they knew to be in charge.
These failures all stem from the same root cause: America has far too many police departments.
By piecing together various accounts, we conclude that officers were quickly on the scene from at least four agencies: the Uvalde school district police, the Uvalde city police, the Uvalde county sheriff and — eventually — the U.S. Border Patrol. Texas Rangers arrived at some point, as did the FBI. That’s six agencies in a city of about 16,000 people.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/06/21/uvalde-shooting-too-many-police-departments/
Radish the wordsmith almost 2 years ago
Deep in the heart of Texas.
john.horvath almost 2 years ago
They’re all hat and no cattle.
rs0204 Premium Member almost 2 years ago
It is up to Texans to demand accountability. Those in power in Texas keep changing the story and as long as the Republicans insist on protecting each other, the truth will suffer.
charliekane almost 2 years ago
When seconds count . . .
1db almost 2 years ago
To protect and to serve…themselves, then run for cover! Utterly and inexcusably shameful behavior by the Uvalde P.D. God give rest and comfort to the souls of those poor victims.
K M Brown Premium Member almost 2 years ago
This has been so sad to see - I know decisions are not easy to make but this is just sad and unacceptable.
MuddyUSA Premium Member almost 2 years ago
@Imagenesis – Well said!