Recent developments in the Uvalde Police Department have sparked discussions among community members as Ruby Gonzalez, a former officer of the Uvalde CISD who was on-site during the tragic Robb Elementary School shooting, has been promoted within the Uvalde Police Department. FOX San Antonio reports that she has transitioned from a Communications Officer in their dispatch division to a patrol officer, a move that occurred after her original hiring by the department in 2023.
This elevation of Gonzalez comes as her previous tenure with the department—spanning 2016 to 2021—is brought back into the limelight. Having served with UCISD from July 2021 until November 2022, when the district's police force was to rebuild entirely, Gonzalez worked with a Temporary Telecommunications Operator License from May 2023 until she acquired her complete Telecommunicator License in May 2024. "Ms. Gonzalez has been a valued member of our department since May 2023, consistently demonstrating her commitment to the people of Uvalde and their safety," said Uvalde Police Chief Homer Delgado in a statement shared on their Facebook page.
The hiring and subsequent promotion of Gonzalez are not without controversy. Family members of victims are expressing their dismay; Brett Cross, guardian of Uvalde shooting victim Uziyah Garcia, called the promotion "disrespectful" on social media, as per FOX San Antonio. "UPD won’t fire any of their officers that failed that day, but they’ll HIRE other officers that were there!!!" Cross exclaimed.
Parallel to Gonzalez's situation, KSAT highlighted that another former UCISD officer, Adrian Gonzales, has to face the law's scrutiny. Gonzales pleaded not guilty to 29 counts of abandoning/endangering a child, a state jail felony, during an arraignment hearing at Uvalde County Courthouse. In contrast, former UCISD Police Chief Pete Arredondo, who was also indicted on similar charges, waived a pre-trial arraignment and entered a not guilty plea.
In response to inquiries about the employment of other former UCISD officers, Chief Homer Delgado said, "We have no plans on hiring any more previous UCISD officers. We do not have any open positions at this time and none have made any attempts to come apply in the past." As the Uvalde Police Department adapts to its evolving composition and the community continues to heal, the stories of Gonzalez and her former colleagues remain closely watched by a populace still seeking closure and accountability.
