Uvalde: “Their Loved Ones Deserved Better” – Than SWAT Cosplaying Small Town Cops

It was a busy morning but I tuned into the news to see the DOJ presser on the release of the report into the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde Texas.  The early write ups for print like this one will no doubt get longer and more detailed as the day goes on. It was clear before the day was out that awful day the police response was a “Charlie Fox” that likely cost lives. It was also fairly clear some major butt-covering kicked off right away.  Despite a having LE on the scene right away 77 minutes went by before the door to the room where the shooter was thought to be was breached. You remember the images from outside. All those guys geared up like our troops fighting an active battle in some middle eastern city.

Seventy-seven minutes. Much was made of the “School Resource Officer at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida who cowered outside even after support arrived and went into the building. The dude used technicalities in the law to evade responsibility and liability for refusing do do his duty as a sworn law enforcement officer. I hope his remaining years are spent living in shame and that he dies penniless. I really do. However bad as he was, Uvalde is much worse. We have an entire small town police department that failed to take action. And worse, a “SWAT” team that was oh so proud of itself.

I recall seeing the reporting on their social media posts about their gear, their “training” and so on. And I couldn’t  help thinking about how when it mattered most, when children’s lives were at stake they were even worse than that dude in Florida. For all their “bigly” tactical gear they were wearing (more than the guy in Florida) and their own assault weapons they invented/found every excuse they could think of not to go in. Then when back up arrived raised jurisdiction issues, perhaps or even probably because outside agencies arriving and taking swift, decisive action would make them look bad. Like the effing cowards they truly were.

I don’t think my title is overly harsh. These goobers strutted their stuff around the community, touting their “SWAT” credentials like they were the same as a major city SWAT unit. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, they did training exercises but in reality they weren’t anything special to begin with. Unlike a major city police force with tens of thousands of officers from which to pick the cream of the crop small towns have small police departments. Often staffed by ordinary folks who might not have even had the benefit of a few years of military service in an infantry unit. No, these guys were never anything special to begin with.

What they were however was well equipped with lots of cool looking gear and toys. Yes, they had the right door breaching tools to get into that classroom the hard way even! They just didn’t have the guts. Even with children dying or in danger of being shot and becoming additional victims. So calling them Rambo wannabe SWAT Cosplayers isn’t I think unfair or stretching things. It’s quite accurate as far as I’m concerned. And I say that with some experience having worn a badge at one time. I was a Marine infantryman but got attached to the Provost Marshall’s Office (MPs) at Henderson Hall in Arlington Virginia. More than once both on Post and when standing guard at the Pentagon for the Navy Command Center and the CNO & SecNav spaces with nothing but our sidearms we responded to alarm “drops” and ran to the danger. I’ve done searches of building on post, just me and my partner clearing the rooms on our assigned floor again with no protective gear. It was our f**king duty. Just like it was those “SWAT” officers and other LE in Uvalde’s duty to go right in with kids dying and more at risk of being shot.

Lot’s of police departments have “militarized” due to access to cheap (relatively speaking) gear and access to getting to attend some extra training. Oh, they might and usually do create local training exercises, but seldom at a level of true SWAT training. They do love playing the role however. It sounds nasty to say it but the guys I’m sure often use their “I’m SWAT baby” with women to get laid. Too often it’s bullshit.

Uvalde was a case study in “Look at us – we’re SWAT” being a bunch of hype. However, that’s not the worst of it.  As the press conference made clear the initial failure of Uvalde LE to go in was only the beginning. In fact, the problems started before that awful day even began. The school safety plan/protocol was a template that included aspect that weren’t even available at that school. Neither the principal or staff or LE could have followed it. But the confusion outside as precious minutes ticked by and no one assuming or being given overall command led to deaths due to delayed response. Then there was the taking of corpses to hospitals in ambulances while kids who’d bee shot/injured went in school buses, and an adult who was taken not to the hospital (no ambulance) but laid out on the sidewalk and treated, only to die.

Then there was the botched notifications to families and misleading press conferences including trying to deflect blame on to a school worker who it turned out didn’t do anything wrong regarding that door the shooter came in through. The list goes on.  I’ll say something else that will get some people’s back up. This happened in Texas where if people had to choose between banning assault weapons for civilians or banning bibles they’d struggle with the decision. And then there’s the fact that Uvalde is after all a small community and disproportionately Hispanic. Anyone who doesn’t believe that from Gov. Abbot to the Texas Dept. of Public Safety (them good ole Texas Rangers!) on down trying to shove and keep this whole mess under the rug is kidding themselves.

For the record I don’t have an issue with small town LE seeking extra training and better equipment for special circumstances. This country doesn’t give our police officers anywhere near the level of training (in more than one area) they need and deserve. What I do have a problem with is those small-town departments and too many of their local “SWAT” or other “specialized” units thinking they are anywhere near the level of that in major cities.

Extra capability is good. But regardless of “tough guy” gear and/or training or not if you put on the uniform and badge you are goddamn well expected to respond when needed. Risking your own ass is part of the job. Those who aren’t willing to do it should find other work, and those who fail to meet the moment should be summarily fired AND and accrued benefits forfeited. Most importantly, in a situation like this if the person(s) who initially responded are unable or unwilling to cede authority to higher level LE then their should be authority for county or state folks to take over right there on the spot. Egos and reputations with the locals simply shouldn’t be a consideration when lives are at stake.

People, including school children died because a bunch of wannabe “superheroes” weren’t the least bit super heroic. Not even a little bit heroic. They were f**king cowards. Who wasted a lot of time while kids were dying but wasted NO time in starting to try and cover their asses. Like the guy in Florida, each and every member of that department, and at least some of the Uvalde officials who supported them both before and after the shooting deserve to die penniless and in shame.