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Uvalde Police Department announces it's hiring officers

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The Uvalde Police Department in southern Texas announced on Monday that it is hiring patrol officers.

The department currently has two openings for patrol officers offering a "competitive salary with incentives," listing the salary in the announcement at $45,739.20. Officers would be asked to work 12-hour shifts and would be offered various incentives for certification pay and education pay.

Leave benefits would be offered, including holidays, sick leave and vacation leave.

The department posted the announcement to its Facebook page.

Authorities and law enforcement in the Texas town of Uvalde have faced national and international scrutiny after a botched response to the May 24 massacre in two classrooms at Robb Elementary School which left 19 children and two adult teachers dead.

Uvalde's Consolidated Independent School District police chief Pedro "Pete" Arredondo faced discipline, including being put on unpaid administrative leave after officers took over an hour to respond and stop a shooter who entered Robb Elementary and opened fire on students and teachers, CNN reported.

Lt. Mariano Pargas, who was Uvalde's acting police chief on the day of the shooting, was also placed on administrative leave.

Uvalde's Mayor Don McLaughlin said in a statement, “This administrative leave is to investigate whether Lt. Pargas was responsible for taking command on May 24th, what specific actions Lt. Pargas took to establish that command, and whether it was even feasible given all the agencies involved and other possible policy violations,”