TX - Uvalde; Robb Elementary, 19 children and 3 adults killed, shooter dead, 24 MAY 2022 #2

[Friday Fan]

Perfect @Friday Fan -- here we see the radio that might fall off the duty belt, and the radio with that darn, inconvenient, antenna -the one that might slap your leg when running!

He also does not seem to have a mic shoulder clip. I noticed the regular PD wear their radios to the side, which means that the antenna doesn't hit them.
As for the date of Uvalde CISD radio equipment: I have no idea..I don't know anything about police radios!

 

[Arkay]

Perfect @Friday Fan -- here we see the radio that might fall off the duty belt, and the radio with that darn, inconvenient, antenna -the one that might slap your leg when running!

You never leave your communication device when responding to an emergency. It may be the only way to insure that you can get the assets you need into the situation

This thing about the radio just enrages me.

Yeah, maybe the antenna slapping his leg might slow him down---by like a minute. It's hardly a huge obstacle for a cop. Instead, by forfeiting his radio so he could allegedly get in more quickly, it turned into a 77-minute debacle. A debacle with police likely frenzied to breach the door, but believing they had to obey the orders from an UNINFORMED chief.

As an example, all the gear that firemen wear certainly slows response time, particularly when climbing up a high-rise when a fire knocks out the elevators. But WITHOUT that equipment, a firefighter would be unable to breathe, to knock down a door, put out the fire and save lives.

And, as I've mentioned before, on 9/11 the radios didn't work at the WTC and that led to the deaths of 300+ firemen. They didn't know they were being told to evacuate as the buildings were about to collapse, so they kept climbing up.
Those radios work both ways----to receive information to save victims, and to receive up-to-date information on how the situation may be changing for the first responders, as well.

PA's radio would have been a game-changer, IMO.

Though I'm not forgetting that the culprit is Ramos.


ETA: as an aside, on 9/11, many firefighters who were buried deep beneath the rubble were located when their oxygen canisters ran out, and it was the beeping from those that allowed their bodies to be retrieved.

I know it's not the same----I'm just musing on how vital ALL equipment is for first responders.

After all, that's why their gear is their gear. Each part.

 

[Seattle1]

It's solid. Don't leave your wingman, don't leave your radio.

IMO, AP lost his instinct, his edge, and he froze. When was AP last evaluated for fitness for his position (physical and mental)?

 

[PrairieWind]

There could be a gag order due to current internal investigations-in which case yes, this makes sense.

No that is not what allegedly happened here. There is no gag order, nor would a non-party to a case be bound by a gag-order. She was arrested for obstruction at the scene. She is alleging that the police have threatened here that if she doesn't stop talking to media, they will used that arrest as a probation violation from a previous case. That is extremely improper for LE to make such a threat.

 

[Doghairrules]

I would think it is Chief's task to supply his little team with adequate equipment, no?

I'm guessing there is/was a budgetary issue or that folks didn't see this as a priority before the shooting.

 

[sds71]

The Texas Department of Public Safety has asked the state's AG to prevent the release of police body camera footage from the mass shooting in Uvalde because it could be used by other shooters to determine "weaknesses" in police response to crimes.

Texas Police Want Uvalde Bodycam Footage Suppressed Because It Could Expose Law Enforcement ‘Weakness’

The Texas Department of Public Safety asked the state's Attorney General to prevent the public release of body camera footage in response to a public records request from Motherboard.

www.vice.com

 

[PrairieWind]

I still find it odd that a school district as small as this one and with schools spread out would have its own police department. I certainly don't know their situation etc, but this just doesnt seem a real efficient use of resources. It seems the police and Sheriff's Office would be a far better choice.

 

[Wise Old Owl]

I still find it odd that a school district as small as this one and with schools spread out would have its own police department. I certainly don't know their situation etc, but this just doesnt seem a real efficient use of resources. It seems the police and Sheriff's Office would be a far better choice.

AND

Its even odder that since they did vote to fund their own police department that they didn't "fund" enough to hire at least one officer for each school - after all, they only had 8 schools - yet they hired 4 officers and a detective (5) - even with the chief, who makes 6, its not enough to put an officer at each school. Curiouser and curiouser.........

 

[Seattle1]

No that is not what allegedly happened here. There is no gag order, nor would a non-party to a case be bound by a gag-order. She was arrested for obstruction at the scene. She is alleging that the police have threatened here that if she doesn't stop talking to media, they will used that arrest as a probation violation from a previous case. That is extremely improper for LE to make such a threat.

Actually, the mother is on probation for prior offenses. She was asked by the US Marshall to move her vehicle and she refused to cooperate (obstruction) -- all before she jumped the fence and rushed the classrooms of her children that were being safely evacuated. Mom also said it was a Uvalde officer at the scene she knew personally that released her (from US Marshall) prior to jumping the fence. Perhaps It was the very same friendly officer that was giving her a heads up about being careful talking out not to impede her probation that's now being accused of threatening her with probation violation?

Always a problem when only one side of the story is reported (and by DM).

 

[Seattle1]

Perfect @Friday Fan -- here we see the radio that might fall off the duty belt, and the radio with that darn, inconvenient, antenna -the one that might slap your leg when running!

Appending to my post to reference additional photos by @Friday Fan showing each of the officers in the accompanying photos properly suited with the radio receiver on the belt and microphone clipped on their shoulders.

Actually, I think when properly outfitted, the mic (tethered to the receiver) would also be an anchor to the radio where it probably wouldn't fall off AP's duty belt. And all designed for the purpose of hands-free duty.

AP can spin it any way he wants, it doesn't make it true. JMO

 

[Shamrock1]

Actually, the mother is on probation for prior offenses. She was asked by the US Marshall to move her vehicle and she refused to cooperate (obstruction) -- all before she jumped the fence and rushed the classrooms of her children that were being safely evacuated. Mom also said it was a Uvalde officer at the scene she knew personally that released her (from US Marshall) prior to jumping the fence. Perhaps It was the very same friendly officer that was giving her a heads up about being careful talking out not to impede her probation that's now being accused of threatening her with probation violation?

Always a problem when only one side of the story is reported (and by DM).

Police cannot order someone to refrain from speaking with the media, nor can they threaten to charge someone with a probation violation for speaking out against police inaction. “Talking out” should never “impede her probation.” That’s the whole point here - not the car, not the fence. Clear First Amendment violation, and an egregious one at that.

 

[steeltowngirl]

The Texas Department of Public Safety has asked the state's AG to prevent the release of police body camera footage from the mass shooting in Uvalde because it could be used by other shooters to determine "weaknesses" in police response to crimes.

Texas Police Want Uvalde Bodycam Footage Suppressed Because It Could Expose Law Enforcement ‘Weakness’

The Texas Department of Public Safety asked the state's Attorney General to prevent the public release of body camera footage in response to a public records request from Motherboard.

www.vice.com

Oh dear.

The problem isn’t that shooters might see the weaknesses.
The problem is that there ARE the weaknesses.

IMO

 

[Seattle1]

Police cannot order someone to refrain from speaking with the media, nor can they threaten to charge someone with a probation violation for speaking out against police inaction. “Talking out” should never “impede her probation.” That’s the whole point here - not the car, not the fence. Clear First Amendment violation, and an egregious one at that.

I believe OP missed my point: we only know one side of the story, and the allegation attributed to the mother may not be true.

 

[Shamrock1]

I believe OP missed my point: we only know one side of the story, and the allegation by the mother may not be true.

You are suggesting that the mother of a dead child found the time to fabricate something that would get First Amendment lawyers all riled up when it has been the police who are amending and altering their contradictory accounts? Or are you suggesting that a mother who, after criticizing police to the media, misheard what police said about criticizing them? People on probation tend to be clear on what police expect from them so as to not risk a violation.

 

[Seattle1]

You are suggesting that the mother of a dead child found the time to fabricate something that would get First Amendment lawyers all riled up when it has been the police who are amending and altering their contradictory accounts? Or are you suggesting that a mother who, after criticizing police to the media, misheard what police said about criticizing them?

Seriously? Do not misstate my post. I suggested no such thing. The person in question is NOT the mother of murdered children at Robb. Facts matter. JMO

 

[Shamrock1]

Seriously? Do not misstate my post. The person in question is NOT the mother of murdered children at Robb. Facts matter. JMO

Correct, her children are alive.

“After speaking critically about the incident to media outlets, Gomez said an officer threatened to charge her for violating probation on an unrelated charge for "obstruction of justice." However, she added that she spoke to a local judge who assured her that she was "brave" and that she would not face legal repercussions for sharing her story.”

Uvalde mom who saved kids from school shooting says police threatened her

Angeli Gomez said Thursday an officer threatened to charge her for violating probation on an unrelated charge for "obstruction of justice."

www.newsweek.com

 

[ColyH]

If the parents are running in the school and then the police are called to go in stop the shooter aren't those parents doing more harm than good because their going to be in the police's way.

 

[Seattle1]

If the parents are running in the school and then the police are called to go in stop the shooter aren't those parents doing more harm than good because their going to be in the police's way.

Agree! Similarly, when the US Marshall is securing the perimeter of the school for the safety of all, and one illegally parks their vehicle and refuses the Marshall's request to move their vehicle, they are obstructing justice. Under Texas law, this crime carries a prison sentence of up to five years.

MOO

 

[kaen]

Agree! Similarly, when the US Marshall is securing the perimeter of the school for the safety of all, and one illegally parks their vehicle and refuses the Marshall's request to move their vehicle, they are obstructing justice. Under Texas law, this crime carries a prison sentence of up to five years.

MOO

All True.

And, I am stuck with the thought that these people assembled for over an hour waiting for the police to act. We have all been told that in these scenarios seconds and minutes matter. So, these people are watching them do "nothing" (Of course, we now know they were doing something-- trying to find the right key among 77 of them, JMHO) or little action. They can hear that there is no radio communication because the chief didn't have his.

We have also had people say that LE don't have to go in and put themselves in harms way.

Who then does it? How can LE claim the perimeter and still have the opportunity to say that they have the right to not go in? If this was my children, I might have done the same. These are the things that these folks were grappling with when they disobeyed orders to not go in AND they were seeing LE not going in. Probation or not, I can't imagine the agony of knowing that my child is at risk and having to just stand by when it seems that others are just standing by. JMHO.

 

[Dotta]

In my country (Europe) my school cooperates with the nearest Police Station - there are a few officers (mostly women) who come around with lectures about safety (traffic), danger of using drugs, etc.

We only have a fire drill every year, when all school leaves the building in orderly fashion via emergency exits.

We had once a Bomb scare (somebody called the school office about a bomb planted on the premises).
So, we immediately left the building like during the fire drill.
All students and staff went to the school playing pitch waiting for Police and Fire Brigade to come.

Students (aged from 7 to 15) went wild with excitement when they saw Police with 2 dogs arrive.
These bomb sniffing dogs were absolute "stars"

All in all, students were quite happy they missed some lessons, tests and reading homework.

I hope it will stay that way in my country.