Bucks County resident, former state trooper, tapped for Uvalde review board

Mark Lomax, a retired major with the Pennsylvania State Police and former Warrington Township supervisor, has been asked by the U.S. Department of Justice to be part of a team tasked with investigating law enforcement's response to last month's mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on Uvalde, Texas.

"The purpose of this is to give a total and thorough review of what happened, and to come up with recommendations and best practices for the future. That is what the team has been charged with," Lomax said during a phone interview Monday. "And we are going to produce a report that summarizes exactly what happened, but more importantly, provide a blueprint for law enforcement and for schools, businesses and churches on best practices, how to secure a facility and protect people."

Officials with the Department of Justice said the assessment by the nine-member panel will examine issues including policies, training, communications, deployment and incident command, tactics, and practices as they relate to preparing for and responding to active shooter events, as well as the post-incident response. It will also include a review of survivor and victim family support and resources.

"Nothing can undo the pain that has been inflicted on the loved ones of the victims, the survivors, and the entire community of Uvalde,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. “But the Justice Department can and will use its expertise and independence to assess what happened and to provide guidance moving forward.”

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Lomax's experience includes working as a member of a peace-keeping continent in the United Nations, as a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and as former executive director of the National Tactical Officers Association, a professional group for law enforcement involved in special operations.

Lomax said the Justice Department reached out to him earlier this month, and that this review is a high priority at the department. Lomax will be leaving for Texas in the coming days.

"We met with the attorney general on Wednesday, and met (Merrick Garland's leadership team) in the conference room where they had the press conference and announced the team," Lomax said. "The attorney general stayed behind for 45 minutes and expressed full support of this review.

"The attorney general said he spoke with the FBI Director Christopher Wray and said the FBI too gave its full support."

Lomax will be joined by:

• Chief Rick Braziel (retired), Sacramento, Calif.

• Deputy Chief Gene Deisinger (retired), Virginia Tech, Va.

• Director of Public Safety Frank Fernandez (retired), Coral Gables, Fla.

• Albert Guarnieri, FBI Unit Chief.

• Laura McElroy, CEO, McElroy Media Group.

• Sheriff John Mina, Orange County, Fla.

• April Naturale, Assistant Vice President, Vibrant Emotional Health

• Chief Kristen Ziman (retired), Aurora, Ill.

Police in Uvalde have been criticized for their response to the shooting, including an hour-long delay in confronting the gunman. Nineteen students and two educators were killed before the gunman was killed by U.S. Border Patrol officers.

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Lomax, who couldn't say much more publicly about the nature of this review team and the specifics about what they will be doing, said this was a "career-defining" appointment and that he is looking forward to being a part of something that will bring fundamental change.

"I feel very honored. There are tons of qualified or more-qualified subject matter professionals out there, so to be chosen of even thought of is great honor," Lomax said. "And I am proud to be a part of something that can be transformative for law enforcement in the future.

"It is very sad this transformation comes on the lives lost of others, in this case, 19 children and two adults."

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Former Warminster supervisor to sit on DOJ's Uvalde review board