Eagle Pass council pledges collaboration with ISD to align with new school-safety law

The Eagle Pass City Council unanimously approved a resolution Dec. 9 pledging to collaborate with Eagle Pass Independent School District to strengthen joint public‑safety protocols consistent with House Bill A121, the new state law on school safety.

Police leadership told council the resolution would facilitate alignment of city and district procedures, promote joint training and planning, and emphasize a unified command during school emergencies. “This resolution brings those requirements to life locally, and this will ensure faster, more effective response in any school emergency,” the police chief said.

Council members asked whether staff had met with the school district and whether the sheriff’s office would be included for schools outside city limits. The police chief said city staff and a captain attended school safety and behavioral threat‑assessment meetings and described the resolution as an invitation to collaborate rather than a mechanism to supersede other agencies’ policies. Councilman Diaz said he wanted to avoid past confusion about interagency command and liability; staff said trainings and unified‑command protocols address roles and responsibility.

Council moved and seconded the resolution, and the measure passed unanimously. Council and staff said the resolution will support annual review, coordinated training and interoperability while preserving each agency’s statutory responsibilities; any specific operational agreements will require further local coordination with EPISD and, where appropriate, the county sheriff’s office.