Press Release from the City of Uvalde
UVALDE, TX — At the direction of the City Council and City Manager, Uvalde Police Chief Homer Delgado today unveiled the “Guardian Initiative” – a comprehensive plan to overhaul the policies, practices, and procedures of the Uvalde Police Department (UPD) to enhance community trust and safety while modernizing the city’s police force.
The Guardian Initiative will focus on restoring trust and credibility, improving community relations, enhancing officer performance, implementing structural changes, and leveraging technology and innovation to transform UPD to better serve the Uvalde community.
To achieve this vision, Chief Delgado will hold a department-wide review of past actions – including one-on-one interviews with every single UPD officer – to ensure transparency and accountability at the outset of this initiative. Chief Delgado will also lead a comprehensive review and reform of current department policies to address any outstanding issues identified in local, state, and federal investigations.
As part of the Initiative, Chief Delgado also plans to implement rigorous new training standards and expand professional development programs to ensure the Uvalde police department is operating at the top of its potential. The Initiative will also expand neighborhood outreach and integration and emphasize UPD’s accountability to the citizens they protect.
Upon announcing the initiative, Chief Delgado provided the following statement:
“As officers, we are accountable to the people who depend on us, and we must demonstrate the highest levels of professionalism and responsiveness to carry out the core mission of every single officer – protecting the safety of the Uvalde community. The Guardian Initiative is key to the transformation of our department, and will require hard work, discipline, extensive training, and community engagement to enhance the department’s capabilities while ensuring integrity and transparency in our operations. We look forward to working hand-in-hand with the entire Uvalde community as UPD undergoes these critical changes to keep Uvalde Safe.”
As part of Chief Delgado’s Guardian Initiative, UPD will:
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Initiate a department-wide meeting to ensure transparency and accountability regarding past actions reflect the standards of the department;
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Prioritize and substantially expand community outreach;
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Dedicate time and funding to new training and development programs;
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Assess, review, and reform policies and procedures to better reflect the needs of the community; and
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Ensure the department has the right equipment to address challenges of modern law enforcement.
