Uvalde police officers have been widely criticized for their delayed response to the tragic shooting that took place Tuesday at Robb Elementary School – apparently despite the fact that the department had hosted an “Active Shooter Training” just nine weeks earlier.
The Reload’s Stephen Gutowski shared a photo of a flyer advertising the training course, hosted by the Uvalde Police Department, that was scheduled to take place in March. “It appears there was an active shooter class hosted by the Uvalde Police Department on March 21,2022. Here is the ad for the class that was posted on the Southwest Texas Junior College Law Enforcement Academy Facebook page on March 1st.”
According to the posted flyer, the training was actually titled: “Active Shooter for School-Based Law Enforcement.”
It appears there was an active shooter class hosted by the Uvalde Police Department on Match 21, 2022. Here is the ad for the class that was posted on the Southwest Texas Junior College Law Enforcement Academy Facebook page on March 1st. https://t.co/sSCpqMKSvP pic.twitter.com/qzskmKF7cP
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 28, 2022
A second photo showed that the class had filled: “The next day they posted the class was full. There don’t appear to be any other updates about the training posted on the Southwest Texas Junior College Law Enforcement Academy Facebook page.”
The next day they posted the class was full. There don't appear to be any other updates about the training posted on the Southwest Texas Junior College Law Enforcement Academy Facebook page. https://t.co/6LFVv8YEbH pic.twitter.com/h083xUQRto
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 28, 2022
The New York Times’ Mike Baker dug into the issue as well, detailing several of the key points the training was expected to address. Baker noted that the active shooter drills included role-playing different potential scenarios that could play out in an active shooter situation.
“The trainings included both classroom teachings and role-playing scenarios inside school hallways,” he shared.
In the past two years, the Uvalde school district has hosted at least two active-shooter training days. One of them was just two months ago.
The trainings included both classroom teachings and role-playing scenarios inside school hallways (below).https://t.co/vE11bemXYg
2/9 pic.twitter.com/wehrjsvi6j
— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) May 28, 2022
The training also addressed just how crucial timing was in such situations, explaining in the class literature that the number one priority always had to be to confront the shooter as quickly as possible and to neutralize the threat.
“But how should officers confront the gunman? With a tactical team? The training says that’s probably not feasible, because the urgency is so high,” Baker continued. “A SINGLE OFFICER, the training says, may need to confront the suspect on their own.”
But how should officers confront the gunman? With a tactical team? The training says that's probably not feasible, because the urgency is so high.
A SINGLE OFFICER, the training says, may need to confront the suspect on their own.
4/9 pic.twitter.com/he8A49apFl
— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) May 28, 2022
“The short duration and high casualty rates produced by these events requires immediate response to reduce the loss of life. In many cases that immediate response means a single (solo) officer response until such times as other forces can arrive. The best hope that innocent victims have is that officers immediately move into action to isolate, distract, or neutralize the threat, even if that means one officer acting alone,” the training documents read, according to a screenshot Baker posted.
Baker noted that the guidelines were not at all ambiguous, clearly stating that an officer going in alone could be putting his or her own life at risk but that the risk was warranted if innocent lives could be saved.
“A first responder unwilling to place the lives of the innocent above their own safety should consider another career field,” the guidance adds.
“The training expectations are obviously in stark contrast to what we are seeing in Uvalde. Police officials have said that officers were reluctant to engage the gunman because ‘they could’ve been shot,'” Baker added.
"They could've been shot. They could've been killed," Texas police lieutenant explains why law enforcement did not go into Uvalde school right away. pic.twitter.com/lfzTtAQqFg
— Virginia Kruta (@VAKruta) May 27, 2022
The guidelines also address what officers are to do in the event that one of them is shot: Carry on and continue attempting to engage and neutralize the shooter.
“It’s clear that officers did not follow that scenario this week. 19 officers staged outside the classroom. 78 minutes elapsed before they entered. Children repeatedly called 911 from inside,” Baker concluded.
And Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Chief Steven McCraw agreed, telling reporters at a Friday press conference, “Of course it was not the right decision! … Every officer lines up, stacks up. goes and finds where the rounds are being fired at and keeps shooting until the subject is dead, period.”
"Of course it was not the right decision!" TX DPS Director says cops should have charged #Uvalde school. "Every officer lines up stacks up, goes and finds where the rounds are being fired at and keeps shooting until the subject is dead, period." pic.twitter.com/9qOL0jHXbx
— Virginia Kruta (@VAKruta) May 27, 2022