UVALDE, Texas — Enhancing professional development, accountability and transparency are among the goals of the Uvalde Police Department’s ongoing Guardian Initiative.
“There’s going to be a complete culture change here at the City of Uvalde Police Department,” said Homer Delgado, who was appointed in April to serve as Uvalde police chief.
Homer Delgado has been working with regional, state and federal partners on implementing policy changes within the department.
Changes in leadership emerged from the tragedy at Robb Elementary on May 24, 2022, when a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers. Nearly 400 law enforcement officers responded to the shooting, taking over an hour to take down the shooter, which fueled public outrage and calls for accountability in light of law enforcement’s delayed response.
Delgado has confidence in the Guardian Initiative’s potential for transforming the department. He’s sought out public input on what could be changed within UPD, hearing from family members who lost loved ones at the Robb Elementary shooting.
“We plan on rebuilding trust with the community, advancing education among the entire staff of the police department and providing a more professional police service to the Uvalde community,” Delgado said.
The Texas Police Chiefs Association and the ALERRT Center have been coordinating with UPD in developing a comprehensive plan that revamps the department’s Active Shooter Violent Response Strategies Policy.
Assistant Chief Mike Davis said it’s a first-of-its kind policy that could end up being replicated at law enforcement agencies nationwide one day.
“We are the first agency to implement that policy in the nation,” Davis said. “We’ve conducted training with our partners, with all the mutual aid agencies. We’re just about complete with all of our active level 1 training. If you don’t train together, if you don’t even have any communication prior to and you’re thrown into a chaotic situation you’re going to see breakdown.”
The Guardian Initiative has also led to the creation of a mental health family violence investigator. Davis said the officer who was appointed the position has been training with the San Antonio Police Department’s units that specialize in family violence and behavioral health.
“We feel that’s very important, especially if there is children in the home who are exposed to family violence,” Davis said.
Full implementation of the multi-phase Guardian Initiative will take place over several months and into next year.
Delgado stressed current and future officers will be held to an even higher standard from now on.
The Guardian Initiative entails one-on-one interviews with every UPD officer. Right now, the department has approximately 40 sworn officers.
“We are going on a journey of development. We can’t drag people along," Delgado said. "And if officers aren’t up to that then they need to look at other opportunities.”