The Uvalde School District’s police chief is tendering his resignation after holding the position for more than a year

CNN
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The police chief of Uvalde schools has submitted his resignation, more than a year after replacing the man who held the position during the 2022 school massacre in the Texas city, according to a statement from a school official obtained by CNN affiliate KSAT on Tuesday.

The resignation of Joshua Gutierrez, police chief of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District, will be presented for approval at a June 17 school board meeting, according to district spokeswoman Anne Marie Espinoza. If approved, his last day will be June 26, according to the KSAT report.

Details of the reasons for the resignation were not immediately available. CNN has reached out to Gutierrez and the school district for comment.

“We thank Chief Gutierrez for his dedicated leadership and guidance as we rebuild the Uvalde CISD Police Department,” Espinoza said in the statement. “His contributions have been instrumental in improving the safety and well-being of our students, staff and school community.”

Gutierrez replaced Pete Arredondo, who was fired in August 2022 after an investigation into his actions during the May 2022 shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School. Police officers waited more than an hour before entering the adjacent classrooms where the gunman was and killing him. According to a U.S. Department of Justice report, officers had many opportunities to intervene to stop the bloodshed much sooner.

Arredondo was seen on police body-worn cameras giving orders and receiving information during the operation, but he said he did not see himself as an incident commander.

Gutierrez was unanimously appointed interim police chief in November 2022 and became permanent chief in March 2023.

“This is our first step toward rebuilding our school district police force,” said Gary Patterson, then interim superintendent, when Gutierrez was named interim chief.

As interim police chief, Gutierrez focused on hiring qualified officers, conducting tactical training with local law enforcement and engaging students and the community, according to KSAT. KSAT reported that he had previously worked in several other school districts.

“I have the ability to come here and help the community heal, help my community heal and the ability to restore a good foundation for our police department,” Gutierrez said in December 2022, according to KSAT.

The district has begun a search for Gutierrez’s successor and posted the position on its website.

“Under general supervision, this officer performs duties related to ensuring the safety of UCISD students, staff and visitors,” the release states. “In addition, the officer gives classroom presentations, advises students and parents, engages students through mentoring, and serves as a positive role model to promote healthy relationships between youth and law enforcement.”

According to the job posting, the requirements for the position include that the district is seeking someone with at least five years of experience leading police operations at a senior level. A candidate should have “the ability to effectively deal with personal danger, which may include sudden confrontation with armed individuals,” the job posting states.

“We are committed to finding a successor who will continue to uphold the safety standards our school community deserves,” Espinoza said.