The Uvalde, Texas, school district suspended its entire police force following the May school shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School.
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers will step in to provide security, according to a statement from the school district. Lt. Miguel Hernandez, who was leading the department in the aftermath of the shooting, and the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) Director of Student Services Ken Mueller were also placed on administrative leave.
Mueller has already announced his retirement, according to ABC News.
Law enforcement has faced staunch criticism after waiting over an hour while heavily armed before entering a classroom to kill the shooter, Salvador Ramos.
“We are confident that staff and student safety will not be compromised during this transition,” the school district said.
Families of the victims of the shooting camped outside the school district headquarters in recent days to protest police officers who delayed to respond to the shooting, The protestors praised Friday’s announcement, according to ABC News.
“They don’t know how to hire people, they don’t know how to vet officers. They haven’t provided proper training,” Kimberly Rubio, whose daughter, Lexi, was killed at Robb Elementary, told ABC News.
The school district on Thursday fired Crimson Elizondo, who was under investigation for her response as a then-Department of Public Safety (DPS) trooper to the shooting, according to ABC News. Elizondo previously resigned from DPS, freeing her of internal repercussions, the outlet reported.
On Aug. 24, the school board fired former Uvalde CISD police Chief Pete Arredondo.
The school district didn’t respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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