Now we know how poor the police response was in Uvalde shooting, and it’s soul-crushing

With every briefing, every new detail, the police response to the Uvalde school shooting looks worse. And the excuse-making becomes more infuriating.

Americans, and Texans especially, invest heavily in law enforcement. For such a catastrophic failure to happen when it matters most requires a thorough, independent investigation and accountability.

Why did Uvalde police hesitate even when they were assembled in bulk? Why didn’t state or federal officers, who are better trained, take command? Why did it fall to a heroic Border Patrol officer, summoned from a barber’s chair by a call from his wife, who is a teacher, to charge in?

Let’s be clear: Police risk their lives every day. Most officers are brave and noble, leaving home without knowing if this is the day that duty might require sacrifice. Many step up, time and again, only to see their efforts tarnished when one of their colleagues falls short of the honor the badge deserves.

We ask them to do things many of us would not or could not do. But that’s part of the deal.

Consider the military. The U.S. has operated for decades under the idea that if we go to war, we do it with overwhelming force. But sometimes, individuals or units are called upon to act quickly, amid tremendous danger, because the moment demands it.

In other words, when lives or the mission are at risk, they ditch the ideal plan and do what’s required.

The cost of not doing so is staggering. The school shooter was able to rip off more than 100 shots, Department of Public Safety chief Steve McCraw said Friday. How many of those could have been prevented if officers didn’t wait 40 minutes?

We know that at least one child died at the hospital, not at the scene. Could that life, and others, have been saved?

McCraw explained that police believed they were facing a barricaded suspect, not a still-active shooter. He also pointed out that children were calling 911 asking for help as the shooting continued. How were officers not told that?

Jurisdiction is always difficult in these situations. The Justice Department could investigate, or the state attorney general’s office. But each of those might bring political conflicts. Perhaps the state needs an independent panel led by trustworthy bipartisan leaders. Former House Speakers Joe Straus and Pete Laney come to mind.

Among the issues to probe is how the initial information about the shooting was so wrong; whether school district police are adequate to their task and if not, what to do about it; how to better coordinate and communicate among agencies in a crisis; and how to ensure every officer has the best possible equipment at the ready to respond in such a difficult moment.

Uvalde will have to decide what to do about its police force. But other communities should see what happened and ask if they have the right commanders, the right protocols and the right support.

Police have been savaged in this country’s politics in recent years. Most Americans, though, still want them well-equipped, revered and protected as much as possible.

The tradeoff is asking them to do things that are perilous but necessary. When they don’t, innocent people die.

This story was originally published May 27, 2022 at 1:00 PM.