Introduction
The mass shooting incident at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, has become a primary example of the leadership and strategy failures of the law enforcement in the United States. A series of mistakes of the police officers and other authorities has resulted in 21 victims – 19 students and two teachers – as well as 17 more being injured. Moreover, after the incident, the police has presented inaccurate reports on the shooting proceedings, trying to conceal the inadequate actions of the law enforcement (Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training [ALEERT], 2022). The Robb Elementary School incident prompted heated discussions about the quality of police training, national gun laws, and poorly implemented strategies of the Uvalde police department. It is crucial to reflect on these events to facilitate changes in the existing protocols regarding mass shootings. Moreover, it is essential to call out the lack of appropriate responses of the authorities (Partner Alliance for Safer Schools, 2020). This essay will focus on discussing how the six pillars of the 21st-century policing relate to the incident and which of them require strong leadership skills the most in a similar situation.
Pillars
The six pillars of the 21st century policing are a specially designed framework that helps police officers engage with young people correctly and appropriately. The first pillar is Building Trust and Legitimacy – it refers to creating a more positive and supportive image of law enforcement in the minds of the youth (St. Louis Part Minnesota, n.d.). Police departments should stay in close connection with the communities they protect, offering help, educating people, and providing necessary resources. The second pillar – Policy and Oversight – states that policies implemented by local law enforcement agencies must reflect community values and adhere to established legal guidelines (St. Louis Part Minnesota, n.d.). The next one is Technology and Social Media – creating a digital framework for public alerts and social engagement as a tool for building people’s trust towards police.
The fourth pillar is Community Policing and Crime Reduction, which refers to working in collaboration with local neighborhood and emphasizing the importance of common effort to provide safety for every resident. Pillar five is Officer Training and Education – it facilitates continuous training of police officers in all areas of law enforcement, building their knowledge and skills for active prevention and fast resolution of the crimes (St. Louis Part Minnesota, n.d.). Finally, the sixth pillar is Officer Wellness and Safety, which highlights the importance of physical and mental health support for police officers to prevent stress, injuries, and burnout.
Neglect of Pillars in the Case of Robb Elementary School Incident
All six pillars emphasize different areas and aspects of policing, offering solutions and strategies to combat arising issues and help officers perform better to increase community’s trust towards law enforcement agencies. However, in the case of Robb Elementary School incident, at least two pillars were severely neglected by the local authorities, resulting in tragic outcomes. First is the Policy and Oversight – the officers who were present at the crime scene failed to adhere to proper guidelines for preventing and resolving the shooting. The example of it refers to the improper interactions between the officer and his supervisor. When the suspect was spotted approaching the school with a rifle, the officer, who was also armed, asked permission to shoot him twice, and both times the supervisor did not give him a clear answer (ALEERT, 2022). As a result, the suspect was able to enter the school and subsequently barricade himself in one of the classes with his victims (Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training, 2022). The supervisor lacked necessary leadership skills to take notice of and address the issue quickly, failing to implement proper strategy for confronting the suspect.
Subsequently, the second pillar that was not effectively used by law enforcement agencies of Uvalde is Officer Training and Education. The police officers present at the crime scene poorly executed resolution strategies, which later became the most emphasized point of critique towards them. They waited for more than an hour in front and inside of the school before attempting to confront the shooter (Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training, 2022). This was majorly due to the inadequate initial assessment of the department chief, who decided that the situation present was a “barricade subject” type rather than an “active shooter” one (ALEERT, 2022). Moreover, the officers prioritized their own safety instead of securing the well-being of the injured and stalled the efforts to neutralize the shooter.
Lastly, the police cordoned the territory around the school, which prompted violent conflicts between the law enforcement and civilians, especially parents of the children remaining hostage. There were many other mistakes caused by inadequate actions of the police, but these were the most evident to the community of Uvalde. The lack of proper leadership from heads of the local law enforcement agencies ultimately outlined the glaring issues with the Uvalde’s police department work.
Conclusion
The mass shooting in Uvalde is a prime example of how neglect of proper policing guidelines and management strategies can cause dire results for local community. It is crucial to review in detail every mistake and misstep made by the police to ensure that more adequate and evidence-supported leadership tactics are implemented, especially in similar situations. Six pillars of the 21st centuries policing are a well-designed set of measures that can help law enforcement agencies tremendously in their efforts to secure the safety of the community. However, the authorities should supervise the implementations of these measures to ensure that the police is well-equipped with necessary knowledge and skills to combat situations like these in the future.
References
Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training. (2022). Robb Elementary School attack response assessment and recommendations. ALERRT Texas University. Web.
Partner Alliance for Safer Schools. (2020). Safety and security guidelines for K-12 schools (5th ed.). PASS.
St. Louis Part Minnesota. (n.d.). 21st century policing. St. Louis Part Minnesota. Web.