UVALDE, Texas – Uvalde Police Chief Daniel Rodriguez turned in his resignation letter on Tuesday.
“After deep contemplation and consideration, I believe it is time for me to embrace a new chapter in my career,” Rodriguez said in a statement.
His resignation is effective on April 6.
Rodriguez told the Uvalde Leader-News that he was doing what was best for him and his family and said he wasn’t “forced, asked or pressured” to make the decision.
His resignation letter mentions nothing of the May 24, 2022 Robb Elementary School massacre or the scrutiny on his department since.
Rodriguez has been chief of police in Uvalde since 2018 but, according to the Uvalde Leader-News, he was on a scheduled vacation out of state when the shooting occurred.
Lt. Mariano Pargas was acting police chief that day. Pargas retired six months after the shooting following reports that he spoke with a 911 dispatcher on the day of the shooting and knew there was a room “full of victims” but did not act swiftly or communicate the knowledge to other law enforcement. Despite the public scrutiny, Pargas was re-elected to his county commissioner position in November of 2022.
Last week, Austin-area investigator Jesse Prado presented his Independent Expert Investigative Report into the Uvalde Police Department’s response to the shooting.
Prado said the department did not commit any wrongdoing or violate any policy in its response to the elementary school.
Instead, Prado placed the blame on communication issues, crowds outside the school and officers not having the correct keys on hand.
The Prado report conflicts with the assessments made in a report released by the Department of Justice, which pointed a finger at Pargas and his lack of action that day.
Uvalde Mayor Cody Smith released the following statement after Uvalde Chief of Police Daniel Rodriguez announced his resignation:
“The City of Uvalde is grateful to Chief Rodriguez for his 26 years of service to our community and we wish him the best as he pursues new career opportunities. Assistant Chief of Police Homer Delgado will be named Interim Chief of Police, as the City Manager and I undertake the search for a full-time replacement in consultation with the City Council. Nothing is more important than the safety of our community, and we look forward to working together to identify the best candidate to serve the people of Uvalde.”
Read the full statement from Rodriguez below:
Chief Resignation by Julie Moreno on Scribd