Confirmed all the things we feared: Police chief reacts to Uvalde report

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>>> THIS MORNING A NEW 77-PAGE FAILURES IN LAW ENFORCEMENTS RESPONSE TO THE UVALDE SCHOOL MASSACRE.

IT DESCRIBES A, QUOTE, LACKADAISICAL APPROACH BY NEARLY 400 OFFICERS FROM MANY DIFFERENT AGENCIES ON THE SCENE THAT DAY.

THE REPORT BLAMES A LACK OF EFFECTIVE INCIDENT COMMAND AND A FAILURE TO FOLLOW ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING.

THE UVALDE MAYOR IS VOWING TO INVESTIGATE EVERY OFFICERS ACTIONS.

HES ALSO LASHED OUT ABOUT HOW THIS ENTIRE INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN HANDLED.

>> WERE TIRED OF THE [ BLEEP ], WERE TIRED OF THE [ BLEEP ] STORIES AND WERE TIRED OF YOU SAYING NO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE COOPERATING.

THAT WAS THEIR STATEMENT.

THE CITY OF UVALDE AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICE OFFICE HAS NOT COOPERATED SINCE DAY ONE.

AND THAT IS A LIE.

WE HAVE GIVEN 100% ANYTHING THEY HAVE ASKED FOR.

>> YOU CAN FEEL HIS ANGER THROUGH THE SCREEN.

WITH ME NOW IS CHIEF JIMMY PERDUE.

HE LEADS THE NORTH RICHMOND HILLS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ALSO PRESIDENT OF THE TEXAS POLICE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOUVE BEEN CLEAR IN SAYING OUR PROFESSION FAILED THE FAMILIES IN UVALDE AND THOSE CHILDREN AND TEACHERS.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU LEARNED READING THIS REPORT? >> WELL, IT PRETTY MUCH CONFIRMED ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAD FEARED ABOUT WHAT HAD ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE, IS THAT THE OFFICERS, DESPITE INFORMATION THAT WAS VERY CLEAR TO THE FIRST RESPONDERS AS WELL AS OTHERS, THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THEY GOT FROM 911 CALLS AND JUST FROM HEARING THINGS FAILED TO ACT.

THEY FAILED TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE THREAT OF DANGER, TO SECURE THE SCENE, TO TAKE CARE OF THE ATTACKER AND TO SAVE AS MANY KIDS AS POSSIBLE.

YOU KNOW, THERES -- I THINK THE REPORT CORRECTLY STATED IT WAS A SYSTEMATIC FAILURE.

THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WENT WRONG, A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO, A LOT OF THINGS TO JUSTIFY TO THE COMMUNITY OF UVALDE.

BUT WE AS A PROFESSION DID NOT DO WELL THAT DAY. >> WE JUST HEARD IN JIMS INTERVIEW WITH RONALD GARZA, THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER IN UVALDE, SAYING OTHER AGENCIES, OTHER COMMANDERS COULD HAVE TAKEN ACTION SOONER.

IS THERE ANY LESSON IN THAT FOR WHO SHOULD HAVE JUMPED IN? BECAUSE WE KNOW PETE ARREDONDO, WHOS GOTTEN THE LIONS SHARE OF ATTENTION FOR BEING IN CHARGE THAT DAY, TESTIFIED TO THIS HOUSE COMMITTEE HE DIDNT THINK HE WAS IN CHARGE.

>> YEAH, THAT IS -- IVE EXPLAINED DURING MY TESTIMONY DOWN AT THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, TRYING TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENS IN AN ACTIVE SCENE WHEN YOU HAVE THAT MANY PEOPLE TOGETHER IN A SINGLE ENVIRONMENT FROM DIFFERENT AGENCIES.

AND OUR NATURAL TENDENCY IS TO DEFAULT TO THE LOCAL AGENCY OF WHO IS IN CHARGE.

YOU SAW THAT ON BODY CAMERA.

YOU SAW PEOPLE DEFERRING TO THE CHIEF BECAUSE THEY KNEW HE WAS THERE IN THE ROOM, AND HE WAS VERBALIZING SOME OF HIS INSTRUCTIONS.

THAT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT HE WAS IN CHARGE.

SO, ITS A VERY DIFFICULT THING FOR AN INDIVIDUAL OFFICER TO GO PAST THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AND TAKE INDEPENDENT ACTION.

CLEARLY, WITH HINDSIGHT, WE KNOW THAT THATS WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED.

SOMEBODY SHOULD HAVE STEPPED UP.

I BELIEVE IF SOMEBODY HAD STEPPED UP AND SAID, IM GOING IN, I BELIEVE THAT OTHERS WOULD HAVE FOLLOWED.

>> AND I WONDER IF YOU THINK LIVES COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED? BECAUSE THE REPORT DOES SAY THEY DONT KNOW, YOU KNOW, THEY DONT KNOW IF EARLIER ACTION WAS TAKEN IN LIVES COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED.

AT THE SAME TIME THE REPORT SAYS ITS PLAUSIBLE THAT SOME VICTIMS COULD HAVE SURVIVED IF THEY HAD NOT HAD TO WAIT.

WE KNOW SOME OF THESE VICTIMS BLED OUT ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL.

SO, I WONDER -- I WONDER WHAT YOU THINK THE LESSON IS THERE.

I MEAN, ONE OF THE RELATIVES WERE HAVING ON NEXT HOUR SAID, AT LEAST THEY COULD HAVE HELD THEIR HAND WHILE THEY WERE DYING.

AT LEAST THEY WOULDNT HAVE HAD TO HAVE BEEN ALONE.

>> AND THAT IS THE DIFFICULT PART FOR A FAMILY MEMBER, KNOWING THEY WERE IN THE ROOM ALONE.

AS THE REPORT CORRECTLY STATED AGAIN, THE SHOT LIKELY THAT MOST OF THE STUDENTS DIED FROM THE INITIAL VOLLEY OF GUNFIRE, GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF GUNFIRE, BEFORE THE OFFICERS EVER WENT INTO THE ROOM.

BUT I THINK THAT WELL NEVER KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.

WELL NEVER KNOW IF LIVES COULD HAVE BEEN STATED, AS THE REPORT STATED.

THE FACT THERE WERE SOME STUDENTS TRANSPORTED STILL ALIVE, BUT DIED ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL.

ANYONE WOULD INDICATE THAT IF YOU COULD HAVE GOT TO THEM 77 OR 70 MINUTES EARLIER, LIKELY THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SOME PEOPLE THAT SURVIVED MORE BECAUSE OF BLEEDING OUT THAT TOOK PLACE.

WE ALSO KNOW FROM THE 911 CALLS, FROM THE STUDENT THAT CALLED THAT SAID THERE WERE KIDS ALIVE WHEN SHE CALLED, SO WE KNOW THERE WERE ONES ALIVE AT LEAST AT SOME POINT.

AND TAKING MORE INITIAL ACTION WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE AND HOPEFULLY REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD SOMEBODY COULD HAVE DIED.

WELL NEVER KNOW FOR SURE, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE THATS SOMETHING DIFFICULT TO PROVE.

CLEARLY, ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ACTIONS EARLIER IN THAT PROCESS TO GO INSIDE THAT ROOM. >> LETS TALK ABOUT THE LAWS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, BECAUSE THE SUPREME COURT HAS JUST GIVEN STATES MORE POWER IN CERTAIN WAYS AND RESTRICTED STATES IN CERTAIN WAYS FROM MAKING GUN LAWS.

YOUVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT YOU CANT STOP BAD GUYS FROM GETTING GUNS, BUT YOU SAID YOU THINK ITS TIME FOR TEXAS TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO MAKE IT HARDER FOR SOME PEOPLE TO GET GUNS.

WE KNOW THAT THIS GUN WAS PURCHASED LEGALLY AFTER THE SHOOTER, ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, TRIED TO GET GUNS THROUGH FAMILY, THROUGH WHAT ARE KNOWN AS STRAW PURCHASES.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE IN TERMS OF GUN LAWS CHANGE IN TEXAS? BECAUSE THEY CHANGE QUICKLY IN FLORIDA AFTER THE PARKLAND SHOOTING.

>> THEY DID.

AND WE IN TEXAS HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF GUN OWNERSHIP, AND WE ARE A PROUD SUPPORTER OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT THROUGH THE TEXAS POLICE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION.

BUT AS IVE SATATED BEFORE, I BELIEVE THERE ARE REASONABLE MEASURES THAT CAN BE PUT IN PLACE THAT MAY STOP SOMEONE FROM GETTING ACCESS TO A WEAPON SOONER THAN THEY SHOULD.

AND WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THOSE AVENUES.

IM NOT SAYING THAT ITS GOING TO STOP EVERYTHING, BECAUSE BAD GUYS ARE STILL GOING TO GET GUNS.

BUT I THINK IF WE CAN PREVENT SOME -- ONE OR TWO OF THESE EVENTS FROM OCCURRING, I THINK ITS WORTH THAT INCONVENIENCE THAT MAY COME FROM HAVING -- RAISING THE AGE FROM 18 TO 21, CLOSING THE LOOPHOLE FOR STRAW PURCHASES IN TEXAS, AND LOOKING AT WAYS WE CAN GET MORE MENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION TO THE OFFICERS IN THE FIELD SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE BETTER DECISIONS WHENEVER THEYRE ENCOUNTERING THESE INDIVIDUALS.

RIGHT NOW, THEY DONT HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THAT INFORMATION THEY SHOULD WHEN THEYRE TRYING TO MAKE THOSE FIELD DECISIONS, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE TALK SO MUCH ABOUT THE SYSTEMS AND THE WAY THAT THINGS ARE BEING DONE ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, BUT THE REALITY IS MOST OF THE WORK IS DONE BY THE STREET OFFICER AT 3:00 IN THE AFTERNOON OR 3:00 IN THE MORNING, WHEN THEYRE TRYING TO MAKE A SOUND DECISION AND THEY NEED INFORMATION TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.

>> ITS POWERFUL TO HEAR THAT FROM YOU, SIR, AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE TEXAS POLICE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION AND A SUPPORTER OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT CAN CHANGE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU, POPPY.

JOINING ME TO DISCUSS IS UVALDE COUNTY COMMISSIONER GARZA.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON YOUR SHOW. >> ITS A LONG LIST OF UPSETTING REVELATIONS, FRANKLY, FROM THESE VIDEOS AND THE REPORT.

AS I WAS SAYING TO SHIMON, THE BIGGEST SEEMS TO BE THAT MULTIPLE FOLKS FAILED HERE AND SEEMED TO GO AGAINST THEIR TRAINING IN TERMS OF CONFRONTING AN ACTIVE SHOOTER.

FIRST QUESTION IS, IN YOUR VIEW, SHOULD SEVERAL OF THE RESPONDING OFFICERS, NOT JUST ARREDONDO, FACE REPERCUSSIONS? >> WELL, JIM, THE BIG TAKEAWAY YESTERDAY, FROM YESTERDAYS PRESS CONFERENCE, AS REPRESENTATIVE BURROWS AND REPRESENTATIVE MOODY AND GUZMAN CONVEYED TO THE PRESS YESTERDAY AND THE AUDIENCE WAS THAT THERE WERE VARIOUS SHORTCOMINGS AND FAILURES ON THE PART OF THE MULTIPLE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT WERE THERE ON THAT TRAGIC DAY.

THE BIG TAKEAWAY, I THINK, IN MY OPINION, FROM THE COMMITTEE WAS THAT, YES, THE SCHOOL COMMANDER WAS IN CHARGE, BUT OTHER -- OTHER AGENCIES OR OTHER INDIVIDUALS COULD HAVE TAKEN OVER THE SCENE.

>> ONE OTHER -- AGAIN, ITS A LONG LIST OF REVELATIONS HERE.

EARLY ON IN THIS, THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT INFORMATION SHARING.

FOR INSTANCE, DID THE OFFICERS INSIDE THAT HALLWAY KNOW THAT THERE WAS A CHILD CALLING 911 WHO WAS ALIVE INSIDE THE ROOM? WE NOW KNOW THEY DID KNOW.

ITS ON THE TAPE.

ITS ON THE BODY CAM FOOTAGE.

PRESIDENT 911 DISPATCHER WITH A DIRECT LINE TO THE OFFICERS SAYING, THERES A CHILD ON THE LINE.

WHATS YOUR REACTION TO THAT? >> YES. >> HOW COULD THEY NOT KNOW THERES A CHILD WOUNDED IN THERE AND THEN USE THAT AS THE SPARK FOR ACTIONS? >> WELL, YOU KNOW, THE VIDEO SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.

IT WAS VERY REVEALING.

AND THAT WAS ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY BY THE COMMITTEE THAT THERE WERE COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWNS AT THE SCENE OF THAT DAY.

SO, YES, BREAKDOWNS, COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWNS, AND, YOU KNOW, AS THE RESULT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD THAT DELAY BEFORE ACTION WAS TAKEN.