TTPOA/NTOA 2025 Debrief Symposium
Date: March 24, 2025
Time: 0800-1600
Location: 1050 Dairy Ashford St, Houston, TX 77079
Spring Branch ISD Athletics Complex (more details to follow)
Any questions contact Marco Lopez @ marco.lopez@ttpoa.org
***This Symposium is open to all current LEOs and active military personnel.***
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1- Legal Update: Tactical Operations/Special Threat Scenes
Bio: State Attorney’s
2- Critical Incident Review of the Mass Casualty Incident Uvalde, Texas
On May 24, 2022, an active shooter took the lives of 19 children and two staff members and physically and mentally injured the survivors, their families, staff, teachers, and the broader community in Uvalde, Texas. At the request of Uvalde's leadership, the U.S. Department of Justice established the Critical Incident Review (CIR) to conduct an independent, objective assessment of what happened that day and assess the systems in place in the weeks leading up to May 24. The goal of the CIR is to provide information to those most affected by the tragedy and to build knowledge regarding how to best respond to incidents of mass violence. This panel will provide an overview of the incident and present observations and recommendations from the CIR report on tactics, leadership, and incident command.
Bio:
Nazmia E.A. Comrie is a sociologist (policing assistance and reform) at the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). She provides leadership for the development, implementation, and delivery of technical assistance efforts to state, local, tribal, campus, and territorial law enforcement agencies across the country as the program manager for the Collaborative Reform Initiative (CRI) Technical Assistance Center and CRI: Critical Response programs. Nazmia has more than 13 years of experience in managing programs in the areas of police reform, mass demonstrations, agency safety and wellness, and combating human trafficking, hate crimes, and interpersonal violence. To date Nazmia has authored and coauthored a number of publications relevant to her areas of expertise and the criminal justice field as a whole, including the Critical Incident Review: Active Shooter at Robb Elementary School and Building Stronger, Safer Communities: A guide for law enforcement and community partners to prevent and respond to hate crimes. In addition Nazmia was a significant contributor to the After-Action Assessment of the Police Response to the August 2014 Demonstrations in Ferguson, Missouri report that was released in 2015. Nazmia received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Rochester and her master’s degree in criminal justice from University at Albany, where she worked on research involving homicides, wrongful convictions, community policing, and gangs.
Bio:
Frank G. Fernandez is currently the president of Blueprints 4 Safety (B4S) Strategies Group LLC; a security and risk assessment consulting firm specializing in vulnerability assessments, strategic planning and best practice policing/public safety strategic development.
During his 25 years of service in the law enforcement field, Fernandez’ experience includes top leadership positions such as Deputy Chief of Police and Chief of Operations for the Miami Police Department (MPD) as well as key positions in the areas of Patrol, Narcotics, Crime Suppression, Tactical and Investigations Unit, Community Affairs Section, and the Neighborhood Enhancement Team (NET). He also held Team-leader and Command positions at the Miami Police SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) team and had the opportunity to travel with then, U.S. Southern Commander Army General Bantz J. Craddock and five U.S. senators to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba to assess facility conditions at this detention center. Fernandez has worked as an expert police consultant to the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division for over 11 years. He is currently the Vice-Chairman and past chairman of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Firearms Committee.
Post retirement from MPD in 2010, Fernandez served as Police Chief and Assistant City Manager for Public Safety for the City of Hollywood, FL. He managed more than 60 percent of the workforce in the City as well as the overall city budget. Subsequently, he was recruited by the City of Coral Gables, FL to be the Assistant City Manager / Director of Public Safety with operational authority over Police, Fire & Emergency Management in addition to Information Technology, Labor Relations and Risk Management, and Human Resources Departments. Fernandez also managed 60 percent of the City’s workforce and expenditures including 192 sworn officers and 134 certified firefighters in a miniurban community with more than 11 million square feet of commercial office space – including 175 multinational companies and consulate offices; 1200 hotel rooms, and home to the main campus of the University of Miami. Fernandez has shown a strong commitment to cultivating good community relations and external partnerships by establishing and maintaining both fair and effective government services, policing methods, respecting diverse community viewpoints and building trust with neighborhood groups.
Fernandez holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Barry University and a Master’s Degree from Nova Southeastern University. He has served as an adjunct professor at Miami-Dade College School of Business and at Florida International University Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice.
3- PIMA County, Arizona Hostage Rescue Debrief Overview
Hostage Rescue Operation:
A debrief involving an 18-hour hostage situation of an 8-year-old incorporated a team transition and eventually a deliberate hostage rescue. The debrief highlights the challenges of a team transition, crisis negotiation philosophies, situational decision-making, and preparedness to increase the team’s probability of success.
Bio:
Patrick Hilliker began his law enforcement career in 1995 as a Corrections Officer with the Pima County (AZ) Sheriff's Department. In 1998, he was promoted to Commissioned Deputy. Patrick became a member of the SWAT Team in 2001 and was part of the team when it became regional in 2005. He was promoted to sergeant in 2006 and was the full-time Lead Supervisor for Pima Regional SWAT from 2008 until 2012. In 2020, he was promoted to Lieutenant and was assigned as the Force Commander. In 2021, he was assigned as the SWAT Commander over the Tactical Response Section. He is the Southern Region Representative for the Arizona Tactical Officers Association and has taught for the National Tactical Officers Association for over 10 years.
4 -Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Search Warrant Debrief
JSO SWAT conducted a search warrant for the DEA Task Force that resulted in a SWAT Officer shot. The debrief highlights the shooting, the follow up from SWAT after the team learns an Officer has been shot, and the command-and-control issues faced during the event. Furthermore, it will discuss the physical and emotional toll this took on the injured Officer.
Bio:
Lt. Edward Rodgers:
Edward Rodgers began his law enforcement career in 2004 as a Police Officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Edward Rodgers joined the JSO SWAT Unit in February 2009. He worked in Patrol for 8 years before transferring to the SWAT Office/Gang Unit in 2012. Rodgers remained a Detective in the SWAT Office until he was promoted to Sergeant in July 2016. Sergeant Rodgers went to Patrol as a Patrol Sgt. until taking over the Gang Enforcement Squad in May 2017. Sergeant Rodgers remained in that position until he became a Team Leader when the JSO SWAT Unit became a full-time team in November 2017. Sgt. Rodgers was a Team Leader for multiple SWAT Squads and the Explosive Breaching Sgt. before getting promoted to the Tactical Sgt. position in November 2019. Sgt. Rodgers maintained the Tactical Sgt. position until being promoted to Lieutenant in July 2022. Lt. Rodgers returned to Patrol as a Watch Commander until returning as the SWAT Lt. in February 2023. Lt. Rodgers currently holds the SWAT/UAS/Criminal Apprehension Lt. position for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Bobby Nauss
Robert “Bobby” Nauss began his career with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office in 2000 after graduating from the inaugural class of the Florida Police Corps that same year. He was a patrol officer and Zone 1 Task Force member for several years. In 2004, he became a member of the SWAT Team. In 2006, he joined the Sniper Team. Det. Nauss was a member of the Offender Tracking Unit, the Gang Unit, and the Criminal Apprehension Unit. Det. Nauss left Patrol in 2016 and was an Assistant Team Leader for the Sniper element when the SWAT team became a full-time team. Currently, he is a SWAT Operator, Sniper, and Perimeter Team Leader.
5-Austin Police Department Hostage Rescue Crisis Entry
APD SWAT/Jorge Pastore – EOW 11/11/23
On November 11, 2023, Austin Texas Police officers responded to a call of a stabbing. The Caller advised that there were several subjects that had been stabbed. When officers arrived, they made contact with one of the victims who advised two additional family members were still inside the residence with the suspect. Patrol officers forced entry into the residence and immediately met with gun fire from within the residence. APD SWAT was requested to assist, upon arrival an emergency entry was made to save the lives of the victims. The suspect barricaded himself in a bedroom and ambushed the entry team as they made entry killing Officer Jorge Pastore and seriously injuring Officer John Conner. Sgt. Rafael Rosales and Ofc Kevin Olejar will share the event and discuss lessons learned.
BIO:
Austin Police Department-Sgt Rafael Rosales share and discuss lessons learned.
Host Hotel:
Embassy Suites by Hilton Houston West - Katy
16435 Katy Freeway Houston, Texas 77094 USA
Any questions regarding lodging contact Susan Fillbrandt 281-788-3194